Health Of Agricultural Workers Research Articles

An Analysis of Occupational Hazards Based on the Physical Ergonomics Dimension to Improve the Occupational Health of Agricultural Workers: The Case in Mayo Valley, Mexico

The occupational health and safety of agricultural workers is a topic that has a direct impact on the agricultural sector worldwide. For this reason, investigations into ergonomic factors are relevant to the health and safety of agricultural workers. In this study, nine variables of the physical–ergonomic dimension were analyzed to determine which factors represent occupational risks for agricultural workers in Mayo Valley, Mexico. A sample of 200 people was considered. The sample was separated by gender and divided into groups according to age. A closed-ended survey was developed and validated to assess physical ergonomics variables using a five-level Likert scale. Using Principal Component Analysis, it was found that there are physical ergonomic variables that affect male agricultural workers more than female workers (the risk of carrying heavy objects, PE3, and the risk of performing repetitive movements, PE4). It was also found that certain physical ergonomic variables are not perceived as hazardous by agricultural workers (the risk of using inappropriate materials, PE9). In addition, various research findings are discussed to determine the implications and recommendations for improving the occupational health and safety of agricultural workers in Mayo Valley, Mexico.

Chronic exposures to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides adversely affects the health of agricultural workers in India

Biomonitoring of pesticide exposure has become a public concern because of its potential health effects. The present study investigated the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory levels and their associated health effects in agricultural areas in Telangana, India. This cross-sectional included 341 exposed participants and 152 control participants from agricultural areas. A structured questionnaire was completed and blood and urine samples were collected to measure pesticides, dialkyle phosphate (DAP) metabolites, and AChE activity using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. twenty-eight pesticides were detected in blood samples at concentrations ranging 0.42-45.77 ng/mL. Six DAP metabolites were also measured in urine, and all DAP metabolites were significantly higher in the exposed group. AChE activity is significantly reduced in individuals exposed for >10 years, raising concerns regarding possible neurological disorders. These results emphasise the urgent need to investigate the health effects of pesticides exposure, especially in agriculture.

Assessment of Health Impact on Agricultural Workers and Rural Inhabitants Exposed to Pesticide in Selected Towns in Southern Region of Ekiti State, Nigeria

Many studies in and outside Nigeria has established that Nigerian farmers depend heavily on pesticides for agricultural purposes. Exposure to it have shown varying health impairment. Thus, this study assesses the effect of pesticide exposure on health of agricultural workers an rural inhabitant of southern Ekiti. The study adopts a cross-sectional descriptive, while convenience sampling was used to sample 306 agricultural workers who have record of pesticide use. Descriptive statistics were used to describe information. Chi-square test was used to test the dependence of pesticide exposure and health impairment. 72% of the farmers used pesticide for agricultural purposes while 83.7% use pesticides at home. Most of them used for over 2 years (69.6% on the field and 56.2% at home). Of the respondents, 53.4% have experienced at least one health challenges or the other due to pesticide exposure. The Chi square test of independence between pesticide exposure and health impairment shows a P-value of 0.0439, the P-value of the test between knowledge and use of pesticide is 0.275, and the P-value of type of crop cultivated and health impairment is 0.093. This reveals that exposure to pesticide results in health challenges; farmers’ knowledge about pesticide did not influence proper use of it; and exposure to pesticide due to type of crop planted by farmers did not significantly lead to health impairment of farmers. The study concludes that improper use of pesticide among the farmers results in one health challenge or the other. It is thus recommended that farmers should carefully read and adhere to instruction on pesticide containers; farmers should adopt the use of PPEs; government should build and maintain health care facilities to aid prompt treatment of short-term effect of pesticides.

Labor Risks in the Health of Banana Workers and their Effect on Socialization through Visual Media

This article presents the results of research conducted in ten banana farms in the northern of the Los Ríos, Ecuador. The objective was to identify the occupational hazards to which workers are exposed that affect the safety and health of agricultural workers. The methodology used was a mixed approach; the Matrix of Labor Risks of the Ministry of Labor Relations of Ecuador (MRL) was applied to 298 workers, which establishes the guidelines to identify, evaluate and control risks. Also, the matrix GTC 45 was applied, to identify from the care of cultivation, harvesting and packing of twenty-four jobs.

Developing an in-house colorimetric method for detecting organophosphate and carbamate residue using cricket cholinesterase

BackgroundPesticides such as organophosphates and carbamates are used to control pests, leaving residues on fruits and vegetables. The assessment of residues in food materials is required for consumer and agricultural worker health protection. The purpose of this study was to develop an in-house colorimetric method for detecting organophosphate and carbamate residues using cricket cholinesterase that can be used as a low-cost, simple-to-use, and widely used test.ResultsThe method’s parameters, including substrate specificity, kinetics, and incubation time, were optimized. The results indicated that acetylthiocholine iodide was more active than butyrylthiocholine iodide. Using a buffer with a pH of 8.0 resulted in the greatest activity after 5 min. The same enzyme activity was observed at 25 °C and 30 °C, which was greater than at 35 °C and 40 °C. In this study, the Km and Vmax values for cricket cholinesterase were 3.75 mM and 35 µM/min, respectively. The specificity and purification factor of the produced ChE were 1.54 µM/min/mg and 1.43-fold, respectively. The limit of detection for detecting organophosphates and carbamates was in the range of 0.002–0.877 ppm. The validity of the method yielded the following results: relative sensitivity of 95%, relative specificity of 90%, relative accuracy of 93%, positive predictive value of 95%, and negative predictive value of 90%.ConclusionsThe developed method is simple and inexpensive, and it can analyze organophosphates and carbamates in a variety of vegetables at an appropriate detection level. Cholinesterase from cricket has the potential to be used for the development of a variety of methods for detecting residues, and the sensitivity could be enhanced using new techniques in the future.Graphical

Incorporating Structural Racism, Employment Discrimination, and Economic Inequities in the Social Determinants of Health Framework to Understand Agricultural Worker Health Inequities.

In 2010, the federal government and several state governments began using the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework to highlight contributing factors of health inequities and, in 2022, recognized that structural racism was associated with health inequities. Yet, efforts to eliminate health inequities have disproportionately focused on individualized solutions instead of addressing structural racism. Many racial/ethnic-minority workers have been segregated to low-wage occupations that lack access to paid sick leave, such as agricultural work, which has been associated with health inequities. Research shows these inequities are attributable to structural racism enforced through laws that structure the employment system to disadvantage agricultural workers, who are disproportionately racial/ethnic-minority individuals, which will not be addressed with individualized solutions. In this article, we explain why the current SDOH framework and efforts to eliminate health inequities are inadequate, discuss Yearby's revised SDOH framework that includes structural racism as one of the root causes of health inequities, and illustrate how Yearby's revised SDOH framework better captures the impact of structural racism, which is associated with health inequities for agricultural workers. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(S1):S65-S71. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307166).

Endotoxins Affecting Human Health during Agricultural Practices: An Overview

Agricultural operations and the processing sector generate dust laden with endotoxin in the workplace. Endotoxin, a pro-inflammatory agent, has adverse effects on health, especially in the lungs, as exposure to endotoxin reduces lung function capacity. Endotoxin exposure to workers and its harmful impact on the health of agricultural workers needs to be studied in detail for future interventions to reduce exposure to endotoxin. The review can help to identify the analytical methods used to determine endotoxin exposure in agriculture. A detailed study of the research articles published in the last two decades related to agriculture and allied fields was carried out. In the agricultural sector, Pantoea agglomerans, a Gram-negative bacterium, was predominantly present. The filters were stored at a temperature of −20 °C, and E. coli 055: B5 was the predominately used standard to analyze the endotoxin. The quantitative kinetic Limulus Amebocyte Lysate test was the most common detection method for quantifying endotoxin. Control strategies to reduce endotoxin exposure are also emphasized in this review.

Genotoxicity and Reproductive Risk in Workers Exposed to Pesticides in Rural Areas of Curicó, Chile: A Pilot Study

Significant risks to human health have been associated with chronic exposure to low doses of pesticides, a situation which may be frequent among agricultural workers. In this context, and regarding the agricultural-based economy of central Chile, we aimed to explore the genotoxic damage in agricultural workers and reproductive risk among women in rural and urban areas of Curicó, a traditional agricultural district in Chile. Hence, we sampled a group of rural agricultural workers associated with pesticide management (n = 30) and an urban unexposed group (n = 30). Our results showed that the agricultural workers had higher micronuclei frequencies (MN: β = 13.27; 95% CI low = 11.08, CI high = 15.47) and women had a 40-fold higher risk of reproductive problems (OR = 40.32; 95% CI low = 2.60, CI high = 624.31) than the unexposed group. The factor analysis of mixed data (FAMD) showed that neither the sex nor smoking habits appear to define the ordination of the data. Nevertheless, the exposure level did segregate them in the multidimensional space (explained variance: 35.38% dim-1; 18.63% dim-2). This pilot study highlights the higher risks of biological conditions negatively associated with the health of agricultural workers.

Impact of Pesticide Exposure on the Health of Agricultural Workers in Northern Region of Kwara State, Nigeria

Impact of Pesticide Exposure on the Health of Agricultural Workers in Northern Region of Kwara State, Nigeria

DETERMINANTS OF INJURY IN AGRICULTURAL AREA

Background: Nearly half of the world's population lives in rural areas where agriculture is the primary source of livelihood (FAO, 2013). Many factors affect the health of agricultural workers, and improving the health of this population will require a variety of approaches. Farmers can experience various diseases and chronic diseases similar to the general population; however, there is evidence that they are at higher risk for acute injuries due to work, certain chronic diseases, and pesticide diseases.
 Objectives: This study aims to analyze the factors causing injury in the area of Agriculture.
 Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional explanatory method. The variable consists of several factors that cause injury, namely, vulnerability, threat factors, and ability factors. The population consists of farmers who are members of farmer groups under the assistance of the Lumajang District Agriculture Office. The participants were recruited using multi-step sampling steps with 354 respondents. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which was then analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) variance base Partial Least Squares (PLS)
 Results: By using the PLS-3 program, the effect of susceptibility factor on injury events is 0.487, and the effect of susceptibility factor on injury events through threat factor is 0.107 so that the total impact of susceptibility factor on injury events is 0.595, the impact of ability factor on injury events is 0.286. The influence of susceptibility factor to injury events through the threat factor is 0.063, so the total impact of the ability factor on injury events is 0, 349. While the threat factor only increases by 21.9% of injury events. So, it can be concluded that the vulnerability factor is the highest factor increasing the incidence of injury by 59.5% compared to other factors.
 Conclusion: The development of a injury prevention model can be done by reducing the vulnerability of farmers by limiting working hours in agricultural areas, paying attention to nutrition and fluid intake, controlling accompanying diseases, and facilitating insurance for farmers.

Exposure to Airborne Pesticides and Its Residue in Blood Serum of Paddy Farmers in Malaysia.

Background: Pesticides manage pests and diseases in agriculture, but they harm the health of agricultural workers. Concentrations of thirteen pesticides were determined in personal air and blood serum of 85 paddy farmers and 85 non-farmers, thereafter associated with health symptoms. Method: Samples were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results: The median concentration of pesticides in personal air samples ranged from 10.69 to 188.49 ng/m3 for farmers and from 5.79 to 73.66 ng/m3 for non-farmers. The median concentration of pesticides in blood serum was from 58.27 to 210.12 ng/mL for farmers and 47.83 to 62.74 ng/mL for non-farmers. Concentration of eleven pesticides in personal air and twelve pesticides in blood serum were significantly higher in farmers than non-farmers (p < 0.05). All pesticides detected in personal air correlated significantly with concentration in the blood serum of farmers (p < 0.05). Health symptoms reported by farmers were dizziness (49.4%), nausea (47.1%), cough (35.3%), chest pain (30.6%), breathing difficulty (23.5%), sore throat (22.4%), vomiting (18.8%), phlegm (16.5%), and wheezing (15.3%). Concentration of pesticides in personal air, blood serum, and health symptoms were not significantly associated. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to pesticides significantly contaminates blood serum of farmers compared to non-farmers.

Workers and Climate Change: The Need for Academic–Industry Partnerships to Improve Agricultural Worker Health, Safety, and Wellbeing

Climate change will have negative consequences for human health worldwide. Agricultural workers are especially vulnerable to the health consequences of climate change. This communication demonstrates how a Total Worker Health® approach is utilized to protect Guatemalan agricultural workers from the negative health effects of climate change. DrPH researchers work alongside local partners to develop, implement, and evaluate climate adaptation strategies and other interventions to improve agricultural worker health, safety, and wellbeing. Training in public health ethics, communications, and leadership gives DrPH researchers the tools to help create successful academic–industry partnerships that increase local capacity and have sustainable public health impact.

The Health Status of Hispanic Agricultural Workers in Georgia and Florida.

To examine the health status of Hispanic agricultural workers in Florida and Georgia. Health data from agricultural workers in the Farm Worker Family Health Program (June 2019) and research studies in Florida (May 2015 and May 2019) were examined. Data from 728 agricultural workers were collected through sociodemographic questionnaire and clinical data. In the Florida sample, 83% were overweight or obese, 70% elevated blood pressure, 60% met the definition of prediabetes. In Georgia, 64% were overweight or obese and 67% had elevated blood pressure. Weak correlations were observed between BMI and systolic blood pressure (unadjusted r = 0.20), diastolic blood pressure (unadjusted r = 0.19), and glucose (unadjusted r = 0.14). Adjusting for age and gender did not show statistically significant correlation between BMI and systolic and diastolic blood pressure or glucose. While BMI has been shown to be strongly associated with high blood pressure and impaired glucose, we found a weak correlation among agricultural workers. Given the common and high use of pesticides and elevated rates of hypertension, impaired glucose, and adiposity in agricultural workers, the public health impact of this relationship may require and lead to occupational reform that protects the health of agricultural workers. Future studies should assess occupational and environmental factors and lifestyle differences between agricultural workers and the general population to better understand these discrepancies in health status.

Characteristics of Agricultural Dust Emissions from Harvesting Operations: Case Study of a Whole-Feed Peanut Combine

The rapid development of peanut mechanization has increased the amount of dust expelled from peanut mechanized operations, which degrades the air quality and endangers the health of agricultural workers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to figure out the characteristics of dust emission from mechanized peanut harvesting. To this end, the particulate matters of diameters ≤ 2.5 μm and ≤10 μm and the total suspended particles were sampled in real time during peanut harvesting in Henan Province, China, and the airborne particle concentrations and particle size distributions were measured. The dust particles discharged during the mechanized peanut harvesting were concentrated within the 2~30 µm size range. When the wind speed was reduced below the settling velocity of the largest particles, the more massive particles were carried in the downwind. The amount of free silica in the dust samples was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Both the total dust and free silica concentrations exceeded the occupational exposure and threshold limits. To improve the characteristics of dust emission, the microstructure and dispersion of the dust were also investigated. Reducing the agricultural operations during periods of high wind speed, low crop-moisture content, and low air humidity is recommended for reducing the dust exposure of workers. The results will provide guidance and technical support for reducing the dust emissions of mechanized harvesting operations, improving air quality, and reducing the health hazards to operators.

Impacts of Extreme Heat on Agricultural Worker Health: Economic Impacts and Policy Implications

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Exposure to extreme heat is known to severely affect human health, resulting in heat rash, heat exhaustion, acute kidney injury (AKI), mental health challenges, and even fatal conditions such as heat stroke. The existing regulations designed to protect agricultural workers against exposure to unsafe heat levels are insufficient to meet the rapidly evolving challenge of extreme temperature exposures. The rapidly evolving challenge of extreme heat exposure is predicted to increase in severity and frequency over the next decade. U.S. agricultural production contributes $1.1 trillion to the U.S. GDP. The economic and health impacts of failing to adapt and enforce protective policies, resulting in workplace absenteeism and farmworker hospitalizations, could result in profit losses, changes to food production, and increased food prices. METHODS: This peer-reviewed literature review examined the effects of extreme heat exposure on the health of agricultural workers (many of whom are underserved migrant laborers), and the areas in which existing policy must be adapted for future temperature projections. We examined the physiology of excess heat exposure and worker performance. We focused on the National Library of Medicine climate literature, with attention to California farmworker health research and regulations. RESULTS:Policy interventions to create protections for these workers include provision of climate-controlled rest areas, adequate housing, hydration, health training (including appropriate languages), and hot-weather workplace attire for agricultural workers. Considerations should also be made to other high-heat occupations such as rural firefighting. CONCLUSIONS:A 2-4 degree Celsius temperature increase by 2050 will result in a rise in the proportion of unsafe working days in the US from 25 to 40%. Existing national policy must be updated to reflect rapidly-approaching and drastic changes in heat patterns. KEYWORDS: Climate, temperature extremes, policy and practice, non-chemical stressors

Chronic Diseases among Agricultural Workers in a Rural Area of Puerto Rico

ABSTRACT Occupational and environmental exposures in the agricultural industry have been associated with several illnesses and poor health outcomes. Information regarding the characteristics and health status of the labor force working in the agricultural sector in Puerto Rico is limited. The overall objective of this study was to increase the available information on agricultural workers health and needs by ascertaining the potential differences in characteristics and health status of farmworkers when compared to the general population in rural Puerto Rico This cross-sectional study used the collection and analysis of medical records of agricultural workers and non-agricultural workers in Hospital General Castañer, located in Lares, Puerto Rico. The research period was five years, from 2012 to 2016. This research described agricultural workers’ demographic and socioeconomic profile and evaluated relationships between one or more demographic variables and farmer’s health. Agricultural workers presented alower prevalence of hypertensive disease (69.4%) and ahigher prevalence of cerebrovascular disease (3.4%) when compared to non-agricultural workers. In other words, agricultural workers were 21% less likely to have hypertensive disease as compared to non-agricultural workers. Results for agricultural workers showed that 4.0% of the workers were diagnosed with arthritis, and 48.8% had suffered at least one type of dorsopathy. The results from this research provide useful information for developing an appropriate framework to address Puerto Rican agricultural worker’s health while promoting the agricultural industry development on the island. Finally, this study provided insight into the prevalence and demographic characteristics of agriculture workers in acentral region of Puerto Rico. Further efforts are needed to better define the agricultural workers and farming communities in Puerto Rico that may be exposed to related hazards.

JA:2021-41. CS-CASH Pilot Grant: Improving Agricultural Worker Health and Safety Awareness through Multimodal, Case-Based Physician Assistant Education

ABSTRACT Purpose: Agricultural workers, especially those who farm full-time, are at substantial risk for developing long-term health problems related to occupational dust, chemical, and vibratory noise exposures. There is clear evidence of risk factors for acute agricultural injury; however, literature regarding risk factors for long-term occupational health problems, including noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), agricultural chemical exposure (ACE), and inhalation injury, is more limited. The literature poses conflicting information on agricultural workers and personal protective equipment (PPE); agricultural workers understand the importance of PPE use, yet the lack of PPE use is pervasive in agricultural workers across numerous studies. Education of agricultural workers on the role of PPE in chronic disease prevention has shown promise. Methods: Our research seeks to identify a replicable model of Physician Assistant (PA) student education on agricultural worker health and safety, including patient education and disease prevention. This model will equip future health-care providers with the knowledge and skills to provide patient education on farming-associated, preventable chronic diseases, as it is a documented tool for increasing PPE use. Didactic curriculum objectives include agriculturally related respiratory health issues, chemical exposure, and noise-induced hearing loss. Curricular content delivery includes traditional classroom learning as well as adjunctive small group and simulation activities. Upon completion of the didactic phase, students complete a 15-month clinical learning phase, including a 12-week primary care rotation in a rural setting, serving many agricultural workers throughout the Midwest. Student logs of patient encounters track diagnoses related to agricultural exposure, as well as monitor agricultural patient treatment modalities, including patient education on PPE use. Distribution of patient education and PPE materials occurs through clinical site visits to primary care rotation sites. Practical Application: Our educational model intends to improve health outcomes of patients in the rural Midwest. Our ongoing research will collect data on agriculturally related diagnoses in the Midwest and patient-provider communication, ideally enhancing patient awareness of risk factors and compliance with treatment plans, as well as decreasing chronic disease severity. The measured effects of this educational intervention will serve as a basis for future research and health-care provider education.

Synthetic Pesticides and Health in Vulnerable Populations: Agricultural Workers.

This review aims to summarize epidemiological literature published between May 15, 2018, and May 14, 2019, that examines the relationship between exposure to synthetic pesticides and health of agricultural workers. Current research suggests that exposure to synthetic pesticides may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Agricultural workers represent a potentially vulnerable population, due to a combination of unique social and cultural risk factors as well as exposure to hazards inherent in agricultural work. Pesticide exposure among agricultural workers has been linked to certain cancers, DNA damage, oxidative stress, neurological disorders, and respiratory, metabolic, and thyroid effects. This review describes literature suggesting that agricultural workers exposed to synthetic pesticides are at an increased risk of certain cancers and neurological disorders. Recent research on respiratory effects is sparse, and more research is warranted regarding DNA damage, oxidative stress, metabolic outcomes, and thyroid effects.

Natural focal infections as one of the risk factors for the agricultural workers health

The research deals with the assessment of the epidemiological and epizootic situation in the Vladimir region, concerning natural focal infections in the context of agricultural activities. The retrospective analysis of statistical data on morbidity anthropozoonoses taken from the Report forms №2 “Information on infectious and parasitic diseases” FBUZ “Hygiene and Epidemiology Center in Vladimir region” of Rospotrebnadzor Department of the Vladimir region during the period of 1958 – 2016. The study of the biological material in respect of pathogen the natural focal infections were conducted in the laboratory of natural-focal and especially dangerous infections FBUZ “Hygiene and Epidemiology Center in Vladimir region” Rospotrebnadzor Department of the Vladimir region. The following natural-focal diseases have been stated to be registered as important in the context of agriculture in the Vladimir region: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), leptospirosis and tularemia. HFRS domonates in the morbidity structure. Annual laboratory tests of the biological material regarding the pathogens of natural focal infections indicate the presence of epizootics among mouse-like rodents, red vole (M. glareolus) being the dominant species among them. The ratio of HFRS male to female is approximately 3 to 1 Positive results of the laboratory studies indicate epizootic activity and constant risk of exacerbation of the epidemic situation regarding zooanthroponotic infections, and zero human morbidity during a number of years does not speak of the attenuation of the natural infection focus and the basis for stopping the preventive measures.

Acute kidney injury and workload in a sample of California agricultural workers.

Kidney damage is associated with an increased workload in high ambient temperatures and may represent a pathway to chronic kidney disease of unknown origin in agricultural workers. We tested the associations of workload and heat with acute kidney dysfunction in California agricultural workers. We recruited a convenience sample of 471 agricultural workers from 29 farms in California during two summer harvest seasons. The sustained 3-minute maximum workload was estimated using accelerometer data collected from Actical monitors and individual heat load through elevations in core body temperature. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was defined by a change in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL or ≥1.5 times the preshift creatinine over the course of the work shift. Associations between AKI and workload were modeled using logistic regression, controlling for demographic, physiologic, and occupational variables. Of the total, 357 workers (75.8%) had accelerometer readings in the moderate workload category, 93 (19.7%) had readings in the vigorous category. 177 (36%) had elevations of core body temperature ≥1°C; 72 workers (14.9%) demonstrated evidence of AKI after a single day of agricultural work. The workload category was associated with an increased adjusted odds of AKI (1.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.51). Piece-rate work was also associated with increased adjusted odds of AKI (3.02; 95% CI, 1.44-6.34). Heavy occupational workload and piece-rate work were associated with acute effects on the renal health of agricultural workers. This indicates that occupations requiring high physical effort put workers at risk for AKI, possibly independent of ambient and core body temperature. Changes to agricultural practices may reduce the risk of renal disorders for these workers.