Geohealth Hub: Improving Agricultural Health in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Forty percent of Thai people are engaged in agriculture. The CWEND GEOHealth Hub in Southeast Asia has focused on measuring occupational exposures and health impacts among agricultural workers. We have recruited farmers that use chemical pesticides and fertilizers and organic farmers to investigate whether they are significantly different in working conditions, musculoskeletal disorders, accidents, and a range of health problems, including metabolic disorders. In comparing the general health of organic and chemical use farmers, we found that the chemical use farmers had significantly higher BMI, waist circumference, body fat%, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and blood pressure than the organic farmers. The organic farmers had significantly higher musculoskeletal disorders of the wrist/hands, fingers, upper back, hip and ankle/feet than the chemical farmers did. Chemical induced hearing loss was investigated among farmers exposed to both noise from agricultural machines and pesticides and compared to organic farmers exposed to only noise and to farmers with neither exposure. Audiometric testing of the high frequencies showed that as cumulative exposures to both noise and to pesticides increased, farmers had a significantly higher risk of hearing loss, suggesting an ototoxic effect of pesticides. Organophosphate pesticides (OP) and paraquat were measured in the meconium of newborn babies where we found 98.5% of samples had OP residues and 55% of the samples had paraquat residues. The incidence of kidney damage was investigated among sugarcane cutters using biomarker measurements (NGAL) pre and post shift. We found that NGAL significantly increased across the workshift, suggesting kidney damage may be occurring. Through the research training and mentoring component of the GEOHealth Hub, we are building capacity for occupational and environmental health research that will inform changes to policy and practice in agriculture in Southeast Asia.