Walter A. Alarcon, MD; Geoffrey M. Calvert, MD; Jerome M. Blondell, PhD; Louise N. Mehler, MD; Jennifer Sievert, BS; Maria Propeck, BS; Dorothy S. Tibbetts, MPH, MS; Alan Becker, MPH; Michelle Lackovic, MPH; Shannon B. Soileau, MS; Rupali Das, MD; John Beckman, BS; Dorilee P. Male, BS; Catherine L. Thomsen, MPH; Martha Stanbury, MSPH
JAMA. 2005;294:455-465.
Context
Pesticides continue to be used on school property, and some schools are at risk
of pesticide drift exposure from neighboring farms, which leads to pesticide
exposure among students and school employees. However, information on the
magnitude of illnesses and risk factors associated with these pesticide
exposures is not available.
Objective
To estimate the magnitude of and associated risk factors for pesticide-related
illnesses at schools.
Design, Setting, and Participants
Analysis of surveillance data from 1998 to 2002 of 2593 persons with acute
pesticide-related illnesses associated with exposure at schools. Nationwide
information on pesticide-related illnesses is routinely collected by 3 national
pesticide surveillance systems: the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health’s Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks
pesticides program, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, and the
Toxic Exposure Surveillance System.
Main Outcome
Measures Incidence rates and severity of acute pesticide-related illnesses.
Results
Incidence rates for 1998-2002 were 7.4 cases per million children and 27.3 cases
per million school employee full-time equivalents. The incidence rates among
children increased significantly from 1998 to 2002. Illness of high severity was
found in 3 cases (0.1%), moderate severity in 275 cases (11%), and low severity
in 2315 cases (89%). Most illnesses were associated with insecticides (n = 895,
35%), disinfectants (n = 830, 32%), repellents (n = 335, 13%), or herbicides (n
= 279, 11%). Among 406 cases with detailed information on the source of
pesticide exposure, 281 (69%) were associated with pesticides used at schools
and 125 (31%) were associated with pesticide drift exposure from farmland.
Conclusions
Pesticide exposure at schools produces acute illnesses among school employees
and students. To prevent pesticide-related illnesses at schools, implementation
of integrated pest management programs in schools, practices to reduce pesticide
drift, and adoption of pesticide spray buffer zones around schools are
recommended.
Author Affiliations
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio (Drs Alarcon and Calvert); Office of
Pesticide Programs, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (Dr
Blondell); Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental
Protection Agency, Sacramento (Dr Mehler); Environmental and Injury Epidemiology
and Toxicology Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin (Mss
Sievert and Propeck); Pesticides and Surveillance Section, Washington Department
of Health, Olympia (Ms Tibbetts); Bureau of Community Environmental Health,
Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee (Mr Becker); Section of Environmental
Epidemiology and Toxicology, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, New
Orleans (Mss Lackovic and Soileau); Occupational Health Branch, California
Department of Health Services, Oakland (Dr Das); Public Health Institute,
Oakland, Calif (Mr Beckman); Bureau of Occupational Health, New York State
Department of Health, Troy (Ms Male); Environmental and Occupational
Epidemiology, Oregon Department of Human Services–Health Services, Portland
(Ms Thomsen); and Division of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology,
Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing (Ms Stanbury).
source: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/294/4/455?lookupType=volpage&vol=294&fp=455&view=short 27jul2005
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