PESTICIDE EXPOSURE AND NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION IN FARMWORKER

工作总结：在过去的50年里，美国的杀虫剂使用量大幅增加。某些职业和普通公众可能会接触到杀虫剂，但杀虫剂对健康的影响尚未得到很好的研究。尽管急性高水平暴露的神经毒性已有很好的文献记载，但对慢性低水平暴露的影响知之甚少。我们对佛罗里达州中部农场工人职业性农药暴露的神经学影响进行了横断面研究。参与者是从当地信用社的成员名单中确定的，并由代表农场工人的草根组织佛罗里达州农民工人协会的工作人员招募。田野工作已经完成：230名来自三种农业类型--蕨类植物、苗圃和柑橘--的接触工人和70名农业经验相对较少的对照工人参加了研究。大约85%的参与者是拉丁裔；男性和女性都包括在内。通过有组织的面对面访谈来评估接触农药的情况，该访谈收集了有关农场工作的终生历史、农药中毒和农药卫生以及特定类型农业的工作实践的信息。通过一系列测试来评估神经功能，包括认知和精神运动功能的神经行为测试，视力测试，评估周围神经病变的振动触觉敏感性测试，以及评估平衡的姿势摆动测试。数据分析目前正在进行中。参与农药代谢的基因的多态也将被研究，以评估遗传易感性的作用。这项研究的结果将阐明农药暴露对神经功能的影响，并解决服务不足的少数群体的健康问题。-农场工人、拉丁裔、杀虫剂、神经行为测试、认知、精神运动功能、视力、振动触觉敏感度、姿势摆动-人类受试者和人类受试者：仅采访、问卷或调查

Summary of Work: Pesticide use in the United States has increased greatly in the last 50 years. Certain occupational groups as well as the general public may be exposed, but the health effects of pesticides have not been well studied. Although the neurotoxicity of acute high- level exposure is well-documented, little is known regarding the effects of chronic low-level exposure. We have conducted a cross- sectional study of the neurologic effects of occupational pesticide exposure in farmworkers in central Florida. Participants were identified from the membership list of a local Credit Union and recruited by staff of the Farmworkers Association of Florida, a grassroots organization representing farmworkers. Field work is complete: 230 exposed workers from three types of agriculture -- ferns, nurseries, and citrus -- and 70 control workers with relatively little experience in agriculture were enrolled in the study. Approximately 85% of the participants were Latino; both men and women were included. Exposure to pesticides was assessed using a structured in-person interview which collected information about lifetime history of farmwork, pesticide poisoning, and pesticide hygiene as well as work practices in specific types of agriculture. Neurologic function was assessed using a battery of tests, including neurobehavioral tests of cognitive and psychomotor function, tests of vision, a test of vibrotactile sensitivity to evaluate peripheral neuropathy, and a test of postural sway, to assess equilibrium. Data analysis is presently underway. Polymorphisms in genes involved in pesticide metabolism will also be studied, to evaluate the role of genetic susceptibility. The results of this study will elucidate the effects of pesticide exposure on neurologic function and also address the health problems of an underserved minority group. - farmworkers, Latinos, pesticides, neurobehavioral testing, cognition, psychomotor function, vision, vibrotactile sensitivity, postural sway - Human Subjects & Human Subjects: Interview, Questionaires, or Surveys Only