TitlePesticide exposure among Latinx child farmworkers in North Carolina.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsArcury TA, Chen H, Arnold TJ, Quandt SA, Anderson KA, Scott RP, Talton JW, Daniel SS
JournalAm J Ind Med
Date Published2021 May 25
ISSN1097-0274

BACKGROUND: Although pesticides have adverse effects on child health and development, little research has examined pesticide exposure among child farmworkers. This analysis addresses two specific aims: (1) describes pesticide exposure among Latinx child farmworkers in North Carolina, and (2) delineates factors associated with this pesticide exposure.

METHODS: In 2018 (n = 173) and 2019 (n = 156) Latinx child farmworkers completed interviews and wore silicone wristbands for a single day to measure pesticide exposure. Wristbands were analyzed for 70 pesticides.

RESULTS: Most Latinx child farmworkers were exposed to multiple pesticides; the most frequent were pyrethroids (69.9% in 2018, 67.9% in 2019), organochlorines (51.4% in 2018, 55.1% in 2019), and organophosphates (51.4% in 2018, 34.0% in 2019). Children were exposed to a mean of 2.15 pesticide classes in 2018 and 1.91 in 2019, and to a mean of 4.06 pesticides in 2018 and 3.34 in 2019. Younger children (≤15 years) had more detections than older children; children not currently engaged in farm work had more detections than children currently engaged in farm work. Migrant child farmworkers had more detections than nonmigrants. For specific pesticides with at least 20 detections, detections and concentrations were generally greater among children not currently engaged in farm work than children currently engaged.

CONCLUSIONS: Children who live in farmworker communities are exposed to a plethora of pesticides. Although further research is needed to document the extent of pesticide exposure and its health consequences, sufficient information is available to inform the policy needed to eliminate this pesticide exposure in agricultural communities.

10.1002/ajim.23258
Alternate JournalAm J Ind Med
PubMed ID34036619
PubMed Central IDPMC8819502
Grant ListP30 ES030287 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States
P42 ES016465 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States
R01 HD084420 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
Projects Reference: 
Silicone Wristband Personal Monitoring Device