Journal of Environmental Health Sciences (한국환경보건학회지)

Korean Society of Environmental Health (한국환경보건학회)
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A Pilot Study for Pesticide Poisoning Symptoms and Information on Pesticide Use among Farmers

일부 농업인에서의 농약 중독증상과 농약 사용정보에 대한 예비조사

  • Kim, Hyun-Joong (Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Cha, Eun-Shil (Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Moon, Eun-Kyeong (Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Ko, You-Sun (Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Jae-Young (Department of Preventive Medicine, Keimyung University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jeong, Mi-Hye (Agro-Material Safety Evaluating Division, Department of Agro-Food Safety, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration) ;
  • Lee, Won-Jin (Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine)
  • 김현중 (고려대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실) ;
  • 차은실 (고려대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실) ;
  • 문은경 (고려대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실) ;
  • 고유선 (고려대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실) ;
  • 김재영 (계명대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실) ;
  • 정미혜 (국립농업과학원 농자재평가과) ;
  • 이원진 (고려대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실)
  • Received : 2011.01.07
  • Accepted : 2011.02.18
  • Published : 2011.02.28
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Abstract

This study aimed to determine the feasibility of survey questionnaires for pesticide poisoning. We conducted a pilot study to develop a questionnaire for evaluating pesticide poisoning symptoms and to examine the validity of self-reported information for individual pesticides used. In December 2010 we interviewed 20 farmers with self-reported pesticide poisoning histories residing in Gyeonggi Province. For validity of pesticide information, the purchased pesticide lists from the agricultural cooperative federation were compared with individual self-reported pesticides used. Neurological symptoms were the most common among clinical symptoms related to pesticide poisoning, followed by gastrointestinal, dermal and eye symptoms. Insecticides were the main causative pesticide class for poisoning. Twenty one major symptoms were selected for screening for acute pesticide poisoning in a field study based on the pilot results and literature reviews. Substantial under-reporting was found in data on self-reported individual pesticides used (9.2%), as well as low accuracy (36%) compared with their actual purchase lists. In this pilot study, we suggest the selected symptom lists may apply to a field survey of pesticide poisoning. However, the self-reported information on individual pesticides may not be valid and alternative methods need to be developed.

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References

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