Pesticide Exposure Assessment And Health Effects In Farmers Of Floriculture

Objective: to survey pesticide use, knowledge, attitude and practice of self-protection, to assess the health of floriculture farmers by self-reported toxicity symptoms and health exam, to evaluate the association of their pesticide exposures and their health, and to raise some suggestions for decreasing the exposure of pesticides and improving the health of the fanners in floriculture.Methods: 211 farms in floriculture exposed to pesticides and 46 locals not exposed pesticides for 5 years were included in the study as the exposure group and control group respectively. They were asked to fill in a questionnaire on pesticide use, knowledge, attitudes, practice of self-protection and toxicity symptoms. Each farm workers were interviewed face-to-face. Physical examination and blood check were carried to evaluate the effects on cardiovascular system and the apoptosis of white cell in blood.Results:Questionnaire: 74.4% farmers used pesticides more than 40 days in one year. 26 kinds of pesticides were been using in the floriculture and there were more than 100 pesticide commercial names. The low poison pesticides were popular, but 78% farmers have been still using methamidophos with average 42.3 days per year. More than half of them mixed over 5 kinds of pesticide together per time. The knowledge of protection was poor. Although more than 80% fanners agreed that protection was needed when using pesticides, few of them had protection and some of them mixed pesticides by naked hands. The vast majority of the sprayers washed their hands before they ate or drank. However, a considerable number of them engaged in eating or smoking activities during work with pesticides. The habit of taking a shower was apparently uncommon, though an overwhelming majority of the sprayers changed their clothes before and after pesticide use.