Prevalence of exposure to solvents, metals, grain dust, and other hazards among farmers in the Agricultural Health Study

Joseph Coble; Jane A Hoppin; Lawrence Engel; Omur Cinar Elci; Mustafa Dosemeci; Charles F Lynch; Michael Alavanja

doi:10.1038/sj.jea.7500248

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Prevalence of exposure to solvents, metals, grain dust, and other hazards among farmers in the Agricultural Health Study

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Prevalence of exposure to solvents, metals, grain dust, and other hazards among farmers in the Agricultural Health Study

Joseph Coble, Jane A Hoppin, Lawrence Engel, Omur Cinar Elci, Mustafa Dosemeci, Charles F Lynch and Michael Alavanja

Journal of exposure analysis and environmental epidemiology, Vol.12(6), pp.418-426

11/2002

DOI: 10.1038/sj.jea.7500248

PMID: 12415490

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Abstract

Exposures to multiple chemical, physical, and biological agents in agricultural work environments can result in confounding that may obscure or distort risks observed in epidemiologic studies. The Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is a large epidemiology study being conducted to investigate health risks among pesticide applicators and their families. During enrollment in the AHS, questionnaires were administered to over 52,000 licensed pesticide applicators from North Carolina and Iowa, who were mostly farmers. Questions about the frequency of various farming tasks were used to estimate the prevalence of exposure to solvents (25%), metals (68%), grain dusts (65%), diesel exhaust fumes (93%), and other hazards, including exposure to pesticides. Most of the farmers in the AHS reported performing routine maintenance tasks at least once a month, such as painting (63%), welding (64%), and repair of pesticide equipment (58%). The majority of farmers (74% in North Carolina; 59% in Iowa) reported holding nonfarm jobs, of which the most frequent were construction and transportation. The majority of the farmers enrolled in the AHS (55%) also reported that they mixed or applied pesticides on 10 or more days per year. The associations between the use of pesticides and the frequency with which the farmers in the AHS reported performing various types of specific farming activities were assessed to evaluate potential confounding. Confounding risk ratios calculated for these activities suggest that the magnitude of bias due to confounding is likely to be minimal.

Epidemiologic Studies

Metals, Heavy - adverse effects

Prevalence

Risk Assessment

Occupational Health

Humans

Middle Aged

Occupational Exposure

Solvents - adverse effects

Male

Solvents - analysis

Pesticides - analysis

Dust

Confounding Factors (Epidemiology)

Metals, Heavy - analysis

Female

Iowa - epidemiology

Agriculture

Pesticides - adverse effects

North Carolina - epidemiology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Prevalence of exposure to solvents, metals, grain dust, and other hazards among farmers in the Agricultural Health Study
Creators: Joseph Coble - Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Occupational Epidemiology Branch, 6120 Executive Boulevard, EPS8110, Rockville, Maryland 20892-7240, USA. jcoble@mail.nih.gov
Jane A Hoppin
Lawrence Engel
Omur Cinar Elci
Mustafa Dosemeci
Charles F Lynch
Michael Alavanja
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of exposure analysis and environmental epidemiology, Vol.12(6), pp.418-426
DOI: 10.1038/sj.jea.7500248
PMID: 12415490
NLM abbreviation: J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol
ISSN: 1053-4245
eISSN: 1476-5519
Publisher: England
Language: English
Date published: 11/2002
Academic Unit: Epidemiology
Record Identifier: 9983995111002771

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