Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (한국산업보건학회지)

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

A Study on the Case Analysis and Health Management of Patients with Pesticide Poisoning from Spraying Pesticide in Hospitals in the Chungnam, Korea

충남 일부 지역 병의원의 농약살포 중 중독 사례 분석 및 보건관리방안 연구

  • Moon, Sun-In (Center for Farmers' Safety and Health, Dankook University Hospital) ;
  • Choi, Jihee (Center for Farmers' Safety and Health, Dankook University Hospital) ;
  • Roh, Sangchul (Center for Farmers' Safety and Health, Dankook University Hospital)
  • 문선인 (단국대학교병원 농업안전보건센터) ;
  • 최지희 (단국대학교병원 농업안전보건센터) ;
  • 노상철 (단국대학교병원 농업안전보건센터)
  • Received : 2019.09.24
  • Accepted : 2019.11.15
  • Published : 2019.12.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to examine patients who developed acute pesticide poisoning while spraying or using pesticide and presented to the emergency department in hospitals in Chungcheongnam-do Province. Based on the findings, this study will provide implications for safety and health management pertaining to the use of pesticides. Methods: Pesticide poisoning data collected by the Chungnam Center for Farmers' Safety and Health from 2014 to 2018 was cross-sectionally analyzed. A total of 331 patients with pesticide poisoning presented to one of hospitals and four of medical centers in the region(Dankuk University Hospital, Gongju and Hongsung, Cheongyang, Cheonan Medical Center). Seventeen of these patients (15 men and two women) developed poisoning while spraying pesticide. The patients' charts were reviewed to collect data on pesticide poisoning, namely currently working in farming-related occupation, means of transportation to the hospital, place of poisoning, symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning, treatment, pesticide used when poisoning occurred, and classification by technical ingredients. Results: Fifteen out of 17 patients who developed poisoning while spraying pesticide were men. Insecticide was used in 35.3% of the cases, and herbicide was used in 29.4% of the cases, which was different from cases of poisoning from ingestion poisoning. The major symptoms were vomiting (35.3%), nausea (29.4%), dizziness (29.4%), and headache (23.5%). A total 11 ingredients were identified in 12 patients, and the most common ingredient was glyphosate, which is an herbicide. Most patients showed a state of mild toxicity, but two patients showed a state of severe toxicity. These patients respectively used glyphosate and paraquat. Conclusions: Our findings can be useful for suggesting the need for a national healthcare system to manage occupational pesticide poisoning among farmers. Further, these findings can be used to increase the awareness of the risk of acute poisoning during pesticide spraying and suggest the need for a safety health education to increase farmers' awareness of pesticide poisoning.

Keywords

References

  1. Baldi I, Lebailly P, Jean S, Rougetet L, Dulaurent S et al. Pesticide contamination of workers in vineyards in France. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2006; 16(2):115-124(https://doi.org/10.1038/ sj.jea.7500443)
  2. Cha ES, Khang YH, Lee WJ. Mortality from and incidence of pesticide poisoning in South Korea: findings from National Death and Health Utilization Data between 2006 and 2010. PLoS One 2014;9:e95299(https://doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0095299)
  3. Cha ES, Chang SS, Gunnell D, Eddleston M, Khang YH et al. Impact of paraquat regulation on suicide in South Korea. Int J Epidemiol 2016;45(2):470-479(https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyv304)
  4. Chung SP, Lee MJ, Kang H, Oh BJ, Kim H et al. Analysis of poisoning patients using 2016 ED Based Injury in-depth Surveillance Data. J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol, 2017;15(2):86-93(https://doi.org/10.22537/jksct.15.2.86)
  5. Coble J, Thomas KW, Hines CJ, Hoppin JA, Dosemeci M et al. Updated Algorithm for Estimation of Pesticide Exposure Intensity in the Agricultural Health Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2011;8(12):4608-4622 (https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8124608)
  6. Dosemeci M, Alavanja MC, Rowland AS, Mage D, Zahm SH et al. A quantitative approach for estimating exposure to pesticides in the Agricultural Health Study. Ann Occup Hyg. 2002;46(2):245-260 (https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/mef011)
  7. Gorell JM, Johnson CC, Rybicki BA, Peterson EL, Richardson RJ. The risk of Parkinson's disease with exposure to pesticides, farming, well water, and rural living. Neurology 1998;50(5):1346-1350 (https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.50.5.1346)
  8. Han J, Moon H, Hong Y, Yang S, Jeong WJ, Lee KS, Chung H. Determination of glyphosate and its metabolite in emergency room in Korea. Forensic Sci Int 2016;265:41-46(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.12.049)
  9. Jo HR, Lee CA, Park JO, Hwang BN. Unintentional pharmaceutical poisoning in the emergency department. J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol. 2018;16(2):116-123(https://doi.org/10.22537/jksct.16.2.116)
  10. Kim HJ, Cha ES, Ko Y, Kim J, Kim SD et al. Pesticide poisonings in South Korea: findings from the National Hospital Discharge Survey 2004-2006. Hum Exp Toxicol 2012;31(8):751-758(https://doi.org/10.1177/0960327111431709)
  11. Kim HJ, Cha ES, Moon EK, Ko YS, Kim JY et al. A pilot study for pesticide poisoning symptoms and information on pesticide use among farmers. J Env Hlth Sci 2011;37(1):22-28(https://doi.org/10.5668/JEHS.2011.37.1.022)
  12. Kim HC, Kim KR, Lee KS, Kim KS, Cho KA. The characteristics of farmer’s dermal exposure during pesticide spraying and dilution in cut rose greenhouse. J Korean Soc Occup Environ Hyg 2007;17(3):203-211
  13. Kim SA, Roh SC. Exposure level to organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides and related agricultural factors in chili and cucumber cultivation among greenhouse and orchard farmers. J Environ Health Sci 2017;43(4):280-297(https://doi.org/10.5668/JEHS.2017.43.4.280)
  14. Ko SB, Lee KH, Lee KS. The status of agricultural injuries in Korea and implications. J Korean Med Assoc, 2012;55(11):1070-1077(http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2012.55.11.1070)
  15. Kwon SC, Lee SJ, Jeong MH. Work-related hazards among farmers. J Korean Med Assoc, 2012;55(11):1046-1053(http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2012.55.11.1046)
  16. Lee HS, Lee JH, Roh SY, Kim HG, Lee KJ et al. Symptom prevalence and work-related risk factors of acute pesticide poisoning among Korean farmers in Gyeong-gi province. J Agric Med Community Health 2015;40(4):228-239(https://doi.org/10.5393/JAMCH.2015.40.4.228)
  17. Lee KM, Chung MH. A survey on the pesticide use and perceptions about the hazards of pesticides among the farmers in Kyounju Area, Korea. Korean J Environ Health Soc 2000;26(2);70-79
  18. Lee JY, Roh SC. Evaluation of exposure to organophosphorus pesticides according to application type and the protective equipment among farmers in South Korea. Korean J Pestic Sci 2016;20(2):172-180 https://doi.org/10.7585/kjps.2016.20.2.172
  19. Lee WJ, Cha ES, Park ES, Kong KA, Yi JH et al. Deaths from pesticide poisoning in South Korea: trends over 10 years. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2009;82(3):365-371(https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0343-z)
  20. Ncube NM, Fogo C, Bessler P, Jolly CM, Jolly PE. Factors associated with self-reported symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning among farmers in northwestern Jamaica. Arch Environ Occup Health 2011;66(2):65-74(https://doi.org/10.1080/19338244.2010.506495)
  21. Son SJ, Shin JH, Choi JS. The present state and measure of pesticide poisoning. Korean J of Rural Med 1996;21(2):255-269
  22. Song JS, Park WS, Kwak YH, Seo JC, Choi HS. Comparison of acute symptoms between a alpine agricultural workers and general workers in Gangwon-do. Korean J of Rural Med 2003;28(1):29-37
  23. Statistics Korea. A study of Korean Agricultural Workers' Occupational Disease & Injury Survey(2013-2015). 2016. Available from: http://kosis.kr/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=143&tblId=DT_14303_E1421&vw_cd=MT_ZTITLE&list_id=F1_142_0722_01_02&seqNo=&lang_mode=ko&language=kor&obj_var_id=&itm_id=&conn_path=MT_ZTITLE
  24. Statistics Korea. A study of Korean Agricultural Workers' Occupational Disease & Injury Survey(2013-2017). 2018. Available from: http://kosis.kr/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=143&tblId=DT_14303_E1407&conn_path=I2.
  25. Statistics Korea. A study of Korean Agricultural Workers' Occupational Disease & Injury Survey(2012-2018). 2019. Available from: http://kosis.kr/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=143&tblId=DT_14303_E1303&conn_path=I2.
  26. Talbot AR, Shiaw MH, Huang JS, Yang SF, Goo TS et al. Acute poisoning with a glyphosate-surfactant herbicide ('Roundup'): a review of 93 cases. Hum Exp Toxicol 1991;10(1):1-8(https://doi.org/10.1177/096032719101000101)
  27. Waggoner JK, Kullman GJ, Henneberger PK, Umbach DM, Blair A et al. Mortality in the Agricultural Health Study, 1993-2007. Am J Epidemiol 2011;173(1):71-83(https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwq323)