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Long-Term Neurological and Psychological Distress Symptoms among Smallholder Farmers in Costa Rica with a History of Acute Pesticide Poisoning

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Farnham

    (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Swiss TPH, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Samuel Fuhrimann

    (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Swiss TPH, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
    Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80177, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands)

  • Philipp Staudacher

    (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
    Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland)

  • Marcela Quirós-Lépiz

    (Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 83-3000, Costa Rica)

  • Carly Hyland

    (Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 83-3000, Costa Rica
    Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720-7392, USA)

  • Mirko S. Winkler

    (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Swiss TPH, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Ana M. Mora

    (Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 83-3000, Costa Rica
    Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720-7392, USA)

Abstract

Studies suggest that acute pesticide poisonings (APP) may be linked with long-term neurological effects. To examine long-term neurological and psychological distress symptoms associated with having experienced an APP, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 300 conventional and organic smallholder farmers from Zarcero County, Costa Rica, May–August 2016. We collected self-reported data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational history, pesticide exposure, APPs, neurological and psychological distress symptoms (using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)). Adjusted logistic regression models were fit. A total of 14% of the farmers (98% male) reported experiencing at least one APP during their lifetime. Self-reported APP was associated with neurological symptoms during the 12 months prior to interview (e.g., fainting (Odds Ratio: 7.48, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.83, 30.74), shaking hands (3.50; 1.60, 7.60), numbness/tingling in hands or feet (3.23; 1.66, 6.32), insomnia (2.53; 1.34, 4.79), accelerated heartrate (2.42; 1.03, 5.47), dizziness (2.38; 1.19, 4.72), increased irritability/anger (2.37; 1.23, 4.55), low energy (2.33; 1.23, 4.46), and difficulty concentrating (2.01; 1.05, 3.85)). Farmers who reported an APP in the ten years prior to interview experienced increased odds of abnormal BSI scores for hostility (4.51; 1.16, 17.70) and paranoid ideation (3.76; 0.99, 18.18). Having experienced an APP may be associated with long-term neurological and psychological distress symptoms.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Farnham & Samuel Fuhrimann & Philipp Staudacher & Marcela Quirós-Lépiz & Carly Hyland & Mirko S. Winkler & Ana M. Mora, 2021. "Long-Term Neurological and Psychological Distress Symptoms among Smallholder Farmers in Costa Rica with a History of Acute Pesticide Poisoning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9021-:d:622923
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ruirui Zheng & Jessica García-González & Raúl Romero-del Rey & Antonia López-Villén & Rafael García-Alvarez & Rosario Fadul-Calderon & Mar Requena-Mullor & Raquel Alarcón-Rodríguez, 2023. "Occupational Exposure to Pesticides as a Risk Factor for Sleep Disorders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-9, February.
    2. Héctor Ulises Bernardino-Hernández & Yael Gallardo-García & Gerardo Vargas-Valencia & Arturo Zapién-Martínez & Gabriel Sánchez-Cruz & Leobardo Reyes-Velasco & José Ángel Cueva-Villanueva & Ericel Hern, 2024. "Pesticide Exposure in the Cultivation of Carica papaya L. and Capsicum annuum L. in Rural Areas of Oaxaca, Mexico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(8), pages 1-23, August.

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