Impact of organophosphate exposure on farmers’ health in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta: Perspectives of physical, emotional and social health

Abstract

Objective:The exposure of organophosphate could be caused by the absorption in some parts of the body like skin and breath. Toxicity may cause nausea, vomiting and dizziness which are not too specific related with the pesticide toxicity. The purpose of this study is to understand the association between organophosphate exposure and farmers’ health in Kulon Progo County from the perspectives of physical, emotional and social health.Methods:This study was conducted using descriptive observational design. The blood sample was collected during harvesting periods in 2016. The inclusion criterion of farmers was using organophosphate-contained pesticide during the planting period of red onion. The farmers who had renal disease, liver disease and cancer were excluded. The organophosphate exposure parameters were the duration and frequency of pesticide application, width of the area, serum cholinesterase activity and the completeness of personal protective equipment.Results:Among 84 farmers, most of them were male (85.7%), and the mean age was 49.1 (standard deviation: 12.5) years; 71.4% of the subjects experienced tremor, 17.86% experienced dizziness and 8.33% subjects experienced nausea–vomiting after pesticide application. According to the pesticide application, in average, subjects used pesticide 1.4 h/day with the area of 1.285 m2. The frequency of pesticide used is three times per week. Around 97.6% subjects used incomplete personal protective equipment. The average of serum cholinesterase activity in subjects with tremor is higher than subjects without tremor (p > 0.05). There is a significant association between serum cholinesterase activity and creatinine content (p < 0.05). The farmers’ quality-of-life domain scores are lower than the scores of the normal population in Yogyakarta.Conclusion:Organophosphate exposure may affect the farmers’ physical health and quality of life.

Pesticide Poisoning and the Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Indonesian Farmers

“…From the results of the study, it was found there were 88% of respondents experiencing acute poisoning which was significantly related to the length of work. [13] A study conducted in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, showed health problems such as tremors in groups of farmers poisoned with organophosphate pesticides [14]. Organophosphate pesticide poisoning can be acute and chronic.…”

Biomonitoring of Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) Inhibitor and the Association with Hypertension among Farmers in Bandung, Indonesia

“…Acute symptoms will appear within 24 h after contact with the insecticide. (7)(8)(9)(10) The chronic organophosphate insecticide poisoning was characterized by distal weakness that occurs 2-4 weeks after exposure. The symptom of chronic poisoning was cramping pain, weakness, fasciculations, twitching and paresthesias of the extremities followed by weakness of the distal limb muscles, especially in the legs.…”

The Association between Pesticide Exposure and Neurological Signs and Symptoms in Farmers in Magelang District, Central Java, Indonesia

“…Cholinesterase inhibitors pesticide (i.e., organophosphates and carbamates) are known to reduce the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) [3]. This will result in the increase of acetylcholine concentration in the synapse which will lead to some nicotinic and muscarinic symptoms and centralperipheral nervous system toxicity [4]. These effects on acetylcholine in synapse could release a high number of glutamate and causing neuronal death because of glutamate excitotoxicity [17].…”