The impacts of pesticides on the health of farmers in Fasa, Iran

Authors

  • Leila Omidi Ph.D. Candidate of Occupational Health Engineering, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Keywords:

Pesticides, Adverse effects, Poisoning, Agricultural

Abstract

Background: With the growing global population, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the demands for food and energy. A major portion of the food and energy is produced via agriculture and livestock activities. The objectives of this research are to gather information regarding the demographic features of farmers, previous poisoning, and the extent of farmers' knowledge in the use of pesticides and associated hazards in different counties and villages in Fasa, a city located in the Fars province of Iran.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from March to July 2012 in the Nobandegan and Sheshdeh counties, and villages including Miandeh, Fedshkuyeh, Senan, Rahimabad, and other places in the Fasa suburban countryside. To collect data, an appropriate questionnaire was designed and implemented.

Results: A total of 200 farmers participated in the study. We found that 55% of farmers were illiterate. Approximately 86% of used pesticides were organophosphorus compounds. Around 30% of the farmers used no protective equipment while working with pesticides, and only 22% of farmers had read and understood the instructions on the pesticide containers. 

Conclusion: Given the toxicity and hazards of pesticides and their adverse effects on farmers' health, effective measures should be adopted to decrease the amount of pesticides used. Conducting training programs for farmers may help to reduce pesticide exposure risks.

References

Hosseini M, Ramazani A, Tavasolian H, Mohsenzadeh M, Maleki S, Samimi K. Survey of knowledge and

attitude of farmers of Southern Khorasan province regarding agriculture related OHS issues in 2008. Iran

Occupational Health. 2011; 8 (1): 24-29. [In Persian]

Narahashi T, Zhao X, Ikeda T, Nagata K, Yeh J. Differential actions of insecticides on target sites: basis for

selective toxicity. Hum Experim Toxicol. 2007; 26 (4): 361-6. doi: 10.1177/0960327106078408. PMID:

, PMCID: PMC2677724.

U. S. EPA Office of Pesticide Programs. FY 2002 Annual Report. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency. 2002. Available from: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/

annual/2002/2002annualreport.pdf [accessed 10 December 2014].

Legaspi JA, Zenz C. Occupational health aspect of pesticides. In: Zenz C, editor. Occupational medicine.

rd edition. USA, Mosby Co. 1994; 3: 617-53.

WHO. Multi level course on the safe use of pesticides and on the diagnosis and treatment of Pesticide

poisoning. Course manual, Geneva. 1978; (321): 214.

Eddleston M, Phillips MR. Self poisoning with pesticides. BMJ: Br Med J. 2004; 328 (7430): 42. doi:

1136/bmj.328.7430.42, PMID: 14703547, PMCID: PMC313909

Aghilinejad M, Mohammadi S, Farshad A. Effect of pesticides on farmers’ health. Pejouhesh. 2007; 31 (4):

-331. [In Persian]

Aghilinejad M, Farshad A, Naghavi M, Haghani H. Assessment of the relationship between pesticide and

their effects on farmer health in various state . Iran Occupational Health. 2006; 3 (1): 81-85 [In Persian]

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act of 1972.1972.

Jeyaratnam J. Health problems of pesticide usage in the Third World. Brit J Indust Med. 1985; 42 (8): 505.

PMCID: PMC1007519.

Cancer Trends Progress Report – 2011/2012 Update. National Cancer Institute; 2013. Available from:

http://progressreport.cancer.gov/ [accessed 15 December 2014].

De Roos AJ, Blair A, Rusiecki JA, Hoppin JA, Svec M, Dosemeci M, et al. Cancer incidence among

glyphosate-exposed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Environ Health Persp. 2005; 113

(1): 49-54. doi: 10.1289/ehp.7340, PMID: 15626647, PMCID: PMC1253709.

Gunier RB, Harnly ME, Reynolds P, Hertz A, Von Behren J. Agricultural pesticide use in California:

pesticide prioritization, use densities, and population distributions for a childhood cancer study. Environ

Health Persp. 2001; 109 (10): 1071. PMID: 11689348, PMCID: PMC1242085.

Mills PK. Correlation analysis of pesticide use data and cancer incidence rates in California counties. Arch

Environ Health. 1998; 53 (6): 410-3. doi: 10.1080/00039899809605729, PMID: 9886160.

International Labour Organisation Organization (WHO). Safe use of pesticides: twentieth report of the

WHO Expert Committee on Insecticides [meeting held in Geneva from 10 to 16 October 1972]. 1973.

Eddleston M, Karalliedde L, Buckley N, Fernando R, Hutchinson G, Isbister G, et al. Pesticide poisoning in

the developing world—a minimum pesticides list. The Lancet. 2002; 360 (9340): 1163-7. doi:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11204-9, PMID: 12387969.

Davies JE, Enos HF, Barquet A, Morgade C, Danauskas JX, Freed VH. Minimizing occupational exposure

to pesticides: epidemiological overview. Residue Rev: 1980; 75: 7-20. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4612-6104-9_2,

PMID: 7455373.

Asenso-Okyere K, Chiang C, Andam KS. Interactions between health and farm-labor productivity: Intl

Food Policy Res Inst; 2011.

Davies JE. Epidemiologic concerns for exposure assessment. Siewierski, M, Determination and assessment

of pesticide exposure, New York, Elsevier. 2011:67-77. ISBN: 978-0-89629-542-1

Edwards C A. Environmental Pollution by Pesticides. New York: Plenum; 1973.

Iran Statistics Yearbook. Statistical Center of Iran. Tehran, Iran. 2007.

Enhui Z, Na C, MengYun L, Jia L, Dan L, Yongsheng Y, et al. Isomers and their metabolites of endosulfan

induced cytotoxicity and oxidative damage in SH-SY5Y cells. Environ Toxicol. 2014; 30 (6). doi:

1002/tox.22066, PMID: 25363902.

Kishi M, Hirschhorn N, Djajadisastra M, Satterlee LN, Strowman S, Dilts R. Relationship of pesticide

spraying to signs and symptoms in Indonesian farmers. Scandinavian J of Work, Environ & Health. 1995;

(2): 124-33. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.19, PMID: 7618058.

Sivayoganathan C, Gnanachandran S, Lewis J, Fernando M. Protective measure use and symptoms among

agropesticide applicators in Sri Lanka. Soc Sci Med. 1995; 40 (4): 431-6. doi: 10.1016/0277- 9536(94)00143-H, PMID: 7725116.

Zand Z. Investigation of exposure methods to poisoning with pesticides. Tehran University of Medical

Sciences; 1996.

Ohayo-Mitoko GJ, Kromhout H, Simwa JM, Boleij JS, Heederik D. Self reported symptoms and inhibition

of acetylcholinesterase activity among Kenyan agricultural workers. Occup Environ Med. 2000; 57 (3):

-200. doi: 10.1136/oem.57.3.195, PMCID: PMC1739922.

Abdollahi H, Naser J, Jafari A. Investigation of chronic poisoning with organophosphorous insecticides

among workers in pesticide manufacturing industries. Nabz. 1995; 4 (11): 19-23. [In Persian]

Mirzaie R, Kebriaei A. Health for Farmer. Zahedan,Iran: Zahedan University of Medical Sciences; 1997.

[In Persian]

Attaran H, Shariati M. Deaths due to chronic poisoning (Epidemiologic study, Mashhad City Area, 1995).

Scientific J Forensic Med. 1996; 3 (10): 34-50. [In Persian]

Tordoir WF, Maroni M. Basic concepts in the occupational health management of pesticide workers.

Toxicol. 1994; 91 (1): 5-14. doi: 10.1016/0300-483X(94)90235-6, PMID: 8052985.

Lampkin N, Padel S, Foster C, Brouwer F, Lowe P. Organic farming: CABI Publishing; 2000.

Jafari MJ, Gharari M, Ghafari M, Omidi L, Kalantari S, Fardi GRA. The influence of safety training on

safety climate factors in a construction site. Int J Occup Hyg. 2014; 6 (2): 81-7.

Published

2022-03-08

Issue

Section

Articles