Occupational Risks and Pregnancy and Infant Health Outcomes in Florida Farmworkers

Abstract

The agricultural industry has some of the highest incidence rates and numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses in the United States. Injuries and illnesses in agriculture result from accidents, falls, excessive heat, repetitive motion and adverse pesticide exposure. Women working in agriculture are exposed to the same hazards and risks as their male counterparts, but can face additional adverse impacts on their reproductive health. Yet, few occupational risk assessment studies have considered the reproductive health of female farmworkers. The objective of this community-based participatory research study was to conduct a retrospective, cross-sectional survey to collect information on workplace conditions and behaviors and maternal, pregnancy and infant health outcomes among a sample of female nursery and fernery farmworkers in Central Florida. Survey results showed that nursery workers were more likely to report health symptoms during their pregnancy than fernery workers. We also observed a self-reported increased risk of respiratory illness in the first year of life for infants whose mothers worked in ferneries. Our findings confirm that agricultural work presents potential reproductive hazards for women of childbearing age.

Utilisation of health services fails to meet the needs of pregnancy-related illnesses in rural southern Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study

“…The findings from our study revealed that pregnant women daily labourers and farmers are particularly at risk for illnesses during pregnancy. This finding is similar to that reported in a study in which heavy workloads during pregnancy, including long workdays, are associated with illnesses [44]. Those households with higher annual household expenditures are also at risk of catastrophic payments during illnesses [45].…”

Respiratory and Allergic Effects in Children Exposed to Pesticides—A Systematic Review

“…A study of 260 farmworker mothers observed that all of them worked during pregnancy either entirely, or partially and have stopped working at week 22.8 ± 7.9 (mean, sd). They also reported that~52% of the fathers worked in agriculture during pregnancy [34]. Twelve studies assessed respiratory effects considering prenatal exposure to pesticides, with only two of them focusing exclusively on prenatal exposure.…”

“…Prenatal exposure to pesticides (OP and pyrethroids) was shown to increase the risk of early cough, wheeze, and IgE production [22], and maternal postnatal occupational exposure to biocides/fungicides increased the likelihood of childhood wheeze [39]. Moreover, mothers working in ferneries were 2.7 times more likely to report a child's diagnosis of a respiratory condition, compared to nursery farm workers [34]. While nursery farm workers are less exposed due to the lower height of the exposure, those working at ferneries apply pesticides at the same level as their breathing.…”

“…Two studies had no clear associations between exposure to pesticides and health effects, with one of them being a comparison between ferneries and nursery farm workers [34], and the other a multisite hospital-based study assessing the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among poisoned children [38]. The former presents differences on regarding the type of activities regarding plants with different morphologies.…”

Collecting Comparative Data on Farmworker Housing and Health

“…Several components of physical and mental health among farmworker family members are particularly related to their housing conditions. 81 These include respiratory health, 82,83 dermatological health, 84,85 injuries and trauma; infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV, 86 parasites, 87 the neurobehavioral development of children, 88 and sleep quality. 89 Components of mental health affected by housing conditions include stress, anxiety, depression, and alcohol dependence 39,90 as well as interpersonal conflict, domestic violence, and sexual assault.…”