Neurological Effects of Pesticide Use among Farmers in China
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Sample Design
2.2. Assessment of Pesticide Exposure
2.3. Data Collection
2.4. Statistical Analysis
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Characteristics of Farmers by Pesticide Exposure
Variables | Pesticides Application in 2009–2011 | p Value | |
---|---|---|---|
Group H | Group L | ||
No. of farmers | 155 | 81 | |
Mean age, y (SD) | 50.2 | 53.8 | 0.005 ** |
Mean education year, (SD) | 7.07 | 7.52 | 0.19 |
Female, % | 23.9 | 33.3 | 0.12 |
Current smoker, % | 50.3 | 39.5 | 0.11 |
Current drinker, % | 41.3 | 42.0 | 0.92 |
Mean body mass index (SD) | 22.8 | 24.4 | 0.001 ** |
Protection measure, % | 14.2 | 12.4 | 0.69 |
Pesticide poisoning events, % | 17.4 | 6.2 | 0.02 * |
Recent pesticide use, % | 51.0 | 8.6 | <0.001 ** |
Exposure to other potentially neurotoxic substances, % | 0.65 | 4.94 | 0.03 * |
Province | Group H % (n) | Group L % (n) | Major Crops |
---|---|---|---|
Guangdong | 87.5 (70) | 12.5 (10) | rice, vegetables, orchards |
Jiangxi | 84.0 (63) | 16.0 (12) | rice, cotton, rapeseed |
Hebei | 27.2 (22) | 72.8 (59) | wheat, maize, cotton |
3.2. Neurological Symptoms
Variables | Level of Pesticide Exposure in 2009–2011 % (n) | Χ2 for Trend | p Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
High | Low | |||
Had symmetrical “numbness” or “prickling” at fingers or toes? | 32.3 (50) | 18.5 (15) | 5.03 | 0.03 * |
Had pain or burning at any location? | 20.7 (32) | 24.7 (20) | 0.51 | 0.48 |
Had any loss of muscle strength in your limbs? | 12.9 (20) | 6.2 (5) | 2.54 | 0.11 |
Been unsteady when you walk? | 1.9 (3) | 1.2 (1) | 0.16 | 0.69 |
Been sweating when it is not hot? | 19.4 (30) | 14.8 (12) | 0.75 | 0.39 |
Been fainted or dizzy when stand up? | 21.3 (33) | 8.6 (7) | 6.05 | 0.01 * |
Had trouble controlling your bladder? | 6.5 (10) | 8.6 (7) | 0.38 | 0.54 |
Had constipation or diarrhea frequently? | 11.6 (18) | 11.1 (9) | 0.01 | 0.91 |
Had problems with erections? | 6.5 (10) | 6.2 (5) | 0.01 | 0.93 |
Variables | Numbness or Prickling | Loss of Muscle Strength | Urinary Incontinence | Constipation or Diarrhea | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OR | 95%CI | p Value | OR | 95%CI | p Value | OR | 95%CI | p Value | OR | 95%CI | p Value | |
Group H (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 2.62 | 1.08–6.36 | 0.03 * | 3.82 | 0.96–15.25 | 0.06 | 1.22 | 0.31–4.84 | 0.77 | 1.51 | 0.47–4.88 | 0.49 |
Female (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 4.48 | 1.66–12.10 | 0.003 ** | 3.11 | 0.79–12.32 | 0.11 | 3.25 | 0.63–16.66 | 0.16 | 1.05 | 0.26–4.30 | 0.95 |
Education year | 1.09 | 0.98–1.22 | 0.11 | 1.03 | 0.88–1.21 | 0.69 | 0.95 | 0.80–1.13 | 0.55 | 1.04 | 0.89–1.21 | 0.62 |
Age | 1.01 | 0.98–1.04 | 0.68 | 1.01 | 0.96–1.06 | 0.81 | 0.98 | 0.93–1.03 | 0.47 | 1.01 | 0.97–1.06 | 0.63 |
BMI | 0.94 | 0.85–1.05 | 0.28 | 0.92 | 0.79–1.07 | 0.31 | 0.90 | 0.76–1.06 | 0.22 | 0.89 | 0.76–1.03 | 0.11 |
Current smoker (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 2.09 | 0.93–4.66 | 0.07 | 1.68 | 0.51– 5.57 | 0.39 | 2.02 | 0.47–8.63 | 0.34 | 2.98 | 0.99–9.01 | 0.05 * |
Current drinker (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 0.66 | 0.33–1.32 | 0.24 | 0.36 | 0.12–1.08 | 0.07 | 0.63 | 0.18–2.23 | 0.47 | 0.22 | 0.08–0.64 | 0.005 ** |
Other neurotoxic substances exposure | 8.13 | 1.06–62.07 | 0.04 * | 17.04 | 1.95–149.13 | 0.01 ** | 13.24 | 1.49–117.51 | 0.02 * | 7.81 | 1.05–58.22 | 0.05 ** |
Guangdong | 1.30 | 0.48–3.53 | 0.61 | 0.87 | 0.20–3.80 | 0.85 | 0.76 | 0.16–3.73 | 0.74 | 0.59 | 0.16–2.21 | 0.43 |
Jiangxi | 0.78 | 0.29–2.13 | 0.63 | 0.74 | 0.17–3.16 | 0.69 | 0.26 | 0.05–1.51 | 0.13 | 0.28 | 0.07–1.23 | 0.09 |
3.3. Neurological Signs
Variables | Level of Pesticide Exposure in 2009–2011 % (n) | Χ2 for Trend | p Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
High | Low | |||
Muscle strength | 2.6 (4) | 3.7 (3) | 0.23 | 0.63 |
Coordination | 9.7 (15) | 2.5 (2) | 4.14 | 0.04 * |
Romberg sign | 1.3 (2) | 1.2 (1) | 0.001 | 0.97 |
Pinprick sensibility | 14.2 (22) | 11.1 (9) | 0.44 | 0.51 |
Vibration sensibility | 25.2 (39) | 7.4 (6) | 10.87 | 0.001 * |
Deep tendon reflexes | 16.8 (26) | 11.1 (9) | 1.35 | 0.25 |
Orthostatic hypotension | 0.7 (1) | 0 (0) | 0.52 | 0.47 |
Variables | Pinprick Sensibility | Vibration Sensibility | Deep Tendon Reflexes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OR | 95%CI | p Value | OR | 95%CI | p Value | OR | 95%CI | p Value | |
Group H (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 0.97 | 0.34–2.75 | 0.96 | 2.49 | 0.83–7.47 | 0.10 | 1.38 | 0.48–3.99 | 0.55 |
Female (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 5.29 | 1.41–19.82 | 0.01 ** | 3.81 | 1.10–13.14 | 0.03 * | 1.54 | 0.42–5.66 | 0.52 |
Education year | 1.26 | 1.07–1.48 | 0.01 ** | 1.08 | 0.94–1.24 | 0.26 | 1.05 | 0.91–1.22 | 0.51 |
Age | 0.98 | 0.94–1.03 | 0.44 | 0.99 | 0.95–1.03 | 0.70 | 1.05 | 1.00–1.09 | 0.04 * |
BMI | 1.14 | 0.99–1.30 | 0.06 | 1.00 | 0.88–1.14 | 0.97 | 1.07 | 0.94–1.22 | 0.31 |
Current smoker (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 2.52 | 0.87–7.24 | 0.09 | 3.36 | 1.21–9.35 | 0.02 * | 1.02 | 0.98–1.06 | 0.14 |
Current drinker (Yes = 1, No = 0) | 1.16 | 0.47–2.85 | 0.75 | 0.59 | 0.26–1.32 | 0.20 | 1.02 | 0.99–1.05 | 0.13 |
Other neurotoxic substances exposure | 3.22 | 0.29–35.89 | 0.34 | 6.09 | 0.47–78.33 | 0.17 | 7.93 | 0.97–65.13 | 0.05 * |
Guangdong | 2.13 | 0.50–9.05 | 0.31 | 3.35 | 0.70–15.96 | 0.13 | 1.41 | 0.35–5.64 | 0.63 |
Jiangxi | 9.50 | 2.37–38.12 | 0.001 ** | 12.70 | 2.83–57.08 | 0.001 ** | 5.32 | 1.47–19.26 | 0.01 ** |
3.4. Neurologic Effects of Cumulative Low-level Exposure to Pesticides
Variables | Group H | Recent Pesticide Use | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OR | 95%CI | p Value | OR | 95%CI | p Value | |
Numbness or prickling | 2.55 | 1.04–6.25 | 0.04 * | 1.24 | 0.52–2.96 | 0.63 |
Loss of muscle strength | 3.54 | 0.86–14.64 | 0.08 | 2.19 | 0.63–7.67 | 0.22 |
Urinary incontinence | 1.21 | 0.30–4.85 | 0.79 | 1.20 | 0.21–6.88 | 0.84 |
Constipation or diarrhea | 1.31 | 0.38–4.46 | 0.67 | 3.57 | 0.73–17.44 | 0.12 |
Pinprick sensibility | 1.05 | 0.37–2.99 | 0.93 | 0.55 | 0.18–1.68 | 0.93 |
Vibration sensibility | 2.53 | 0.83–7.69 | 0.10 | 0.92 | 0.37–2.32 | 0.86 |
Deep tendon reflexes | 1.48 | 0.51–4.31 | 0.47 | 0.65 | 0.23–1.83 | 0.41 |
3.5. Study Limitations
4. Conclusions
Supplementary Files
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Li, Y.; Zhang, C.; Yin, Y.; Cui, F.; Cai, J.; Chen, Z.; Jin, Y.; Robson, M.G.; Li, M.; Ren, Y.; et al. Neurological Effects of Pesticide Use among Farmers in China. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11, 3995-4006. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110403995
Li Y, Zhang C, Yin Y, Cui F, Cai J, Chen Z, Jin Y, Robson MG, Li M, Ren Y, et al. Neurological Effects of Pesticide Use among Farmers in China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2014; 11(4):3995-4006. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110403995
Chicago/Turabian StyleLi, Yifan, Chao Zhang, Yanhong Yin, Fang Cui, Jinyang Cai, Zhaohui Chen, Yanhong Jin, Mark G. Robson, Mao Li, Yuting Ren, and et al. 2014. "Neurological Effects of Pesticide Use among Farmers in China" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 11, no. 4: 3995-4006. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110403995