RCHC Community Project Abstracts

Back to subject search page or search by preceptor site Increasing Awareness; Decreasing Risk: Hispanic farm workers and pesticide education in Hood River, Oregon Project Date: 10/17/2005 Hood River, Oregon is the largest city in the 4 county Mid-Columbia region which spans the Columbia River Gorge between northern Oregon and southern Washington. The area is famous for fruit production, with raising and harvesting of cherries, apples and pears heavily dependent upon the region's large Hispanic population of seasonal farm workers and migrants. Though all Americans are exposed to pesticides, many studies have supported the fact that farm workers and their families are the most vulnerable to both the acute and chronic deleterious health effects of the more than 16,000 different pesticide products currently in use in the United States. Studies have indicated that potential chronic adverse effects of pesticide exposure include cancer as well as reproductive and developmental, immunological, neurological and behavioral effects. Though an official system exists across the country for notification of acute pesticide poisoning events, little emphasis is currently placed upon the long-term effects associated with chronic, low-level pesticide exposure. La Clinica del Carino, a federally qualified community and migrant health center established in 1986 in Hood River, Oregon, has been an active advocate for farm worker health for 20 years. This study attempted to clarify the reasons behind the current lack of focus on this important area of farm worker health in both the clinic and the community as a whole, as well as to suggest appropriate avenues for educational interventions in the future. Chronic Sequelae Of Pesticide Exposure Project Date: 9/24/2001 Over the past few decades, the use of pesticides for agricultural and domestic use has increased tremendously. As this has allowed for increased availability and decreased prices of various crops, it is also accompanied by serious environmental and public health expenses. While the availability of the chemicals has increased, specific toxicological data has not; currently, less than half of the 600+ active pesticide ingredients on the market have adequate toxicology reports. Animal studies and accidental human over-exposures have revealed much information about the nature of acute toxicities, but less is known about the long term effects of exposure to these various chemicals. Few studies have been performed that assess the chronic sequelae of frequent, low-level exposure to pesticides. This paper is an attempt to compile the known effects of exposure to various pesticides. To elucidate which pesticide causes specific sequelae is a difficult task. The majority of workers are exposed to a variety of chemicals; often times the exact compounds are unknown to the workers. Therefore, most effects mentioned reflect the use of a general class of pesticide. Back to subject search page or search by preceptor site