Age ConsiderationsAge Considerations

Impacts on Impacts on

Pesticide Exposure and Health Pesticide Exposure and Health OutcomesOutcomes

Helen Murphy – FNP, MHSHelen Murphy – FNP, MHSPacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and

Health Center (PNASH)Health Center (PNASH)School of Public Health School of Public Health

University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington

How would behavioral and biological

attributes associated to each of these age groups impact pesticide exposure and its

short or long term health effects?

Toddlers Young children & adolescents

Young Male Adults

Women of Childbearing YearsPrenatal

Prenatal ExposuresPrenatal ExposuresPrenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, an Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate, is associated with organophosphate, is associated with neurodevelopmental effects in the child neurodevelopmental effects in the child

Increased odds of abnormal reflexes in Increased odds of abnormal reflexes in neonatesneonates

Poorer verbal IQ in 3½ and 5 year oldsPoorer verbal IQ in 3½ and 5 year olds Increased odds of pervasive developmental Increased odds of pervasive developmental

disorderdisorder

Whyatt RM et al. 2005, Ruah VA. et al, 2006, Young JG et al 2005,

Roberts EM 2007

ToddlersToddlers

GREATER EXPOSUREGREATER EXPOSURE Hand to mouth behaviorsHand to mouth behaviors SKIN contact with floors and lawns SKIN contact with floors and lawns Lighter less clothingLighter less clothing Eats (12x) and drinks (2x) more per weight than adultsEats (12x) and drinks (2x) more per weight than adults

GREATER ABSORPTION GREATER ABSORPTION Breathing rates (1.7x more)Breathing rates (1.7x more) Heart ratesHeart rates Skin surface/weight (2.7 x more)Skin surface/weight (2.7 x more)

GREATER SENSITIVITY GREATER SENSITIVITY Sensitive developing organs (reproductive, neurological)Sensitive developing organs (reproductive, neurological) Less ability to detoxify (immature hepatic cells)Less ability to detoxify (immature hepatic cells)

Selevan SG, Kimmel CA, Mendola P. 2000

Children and AdolescentsChildren and Adolescents

Physically still developing –biologic risksPhysically still developing –biologic risks Dependency – Parental role in preventing Dependency – Parental role in preventing

exposuresexposures Sources of food and water Sources of food and water Home and school proximity to agriculture sitesHome and school proximity to agriculture sites Para-occupational exposures Para-occupational exposures Household and school use of pesticides Household and school use of pesticides

(structural, garden and pet pest control (structural, garden and pet pest control measures) measures)

*Source: David C. Schwebel, Ph.D. Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Children and AdolescentsChildren and Adolescents

Risk taking behaviors* Risk taking behaviors* Learning by experimentation (e.g. Indonesia Learning by experimentation (e.g. Indonesia

making rockets out of old pesticide containers) making rockets out of old pesticide containers) Perceptual development – overestimate Perceptual development – overestimate

physical abilities physical abilities Social development – peers and sibling rolesSocial development – peers and sibling roles Impulse control – still developing by early 20’sImpulse control – still developing by early 20’s Cognitive development – affects following Cognitive development – affects following

directions, doing what the rules say, directions, doing what the rules say, remembering/ understanding rules, sense of remembering/ understanding rules, sense of invulnerability, planning and organizing, invulnerability, planning and organizing, consequences of decisions. consequences of decisions.

Young Male AdultsYoung Male Adults 81% of hired farm workers are male, 77% < age 44 81% of hired farm workers are male, 77% < age 44

Sole breadwinners are more likely to value work Sole breadwinners are more likely to value work

productivity over personal safety.productivity over personal safety. Reproductive hazards possibly male mediated - Reproductive hazards possibly male mediated -

e.g. spontaneous abortions (SAB)e.g. spontaneous abortions (SAB) Risk for SAB increased four fold if father did not use PPE Risk for SAB increased four fold if father did not use PPE

(Arbuckle et al 1999) (Arbuckle et al 1999) Critical window for SAB risk is the 3 months of Critical window for SAB risk is the 3 months of

spermatogenesis prior to conception spermatogenesis prior to conception (Sanborn et al 2007)(Sanborn et al 2007) Birth defect critical window pre conception and 1Birth defect critical window pre conception and 1stst

trimester trimester (Sanborn et al 2007)(Sanborn et al 2007) Risk taking behaviors – sense of invulnerabilityRisk taking behaviors – sense of invulnerability Risks exposing families through work clothes, skin, Risks exposing families through work clothes, skin,

and vehicles. (and vehicles. (see Work to Home Exposure Pathway slidessee Work to Home Exposure Pathway slides))

Women of Child Bearing Women of Child Bearing YearsYears

Women using hormonally active pesticides Women using hormonally active pesticides (lindane, atrazine, mancozeb or maneb)(lindane, atrazine, mancozeb or maneb) have 1.5 x have 1.5 x increased odds of longer cycles, missing a period, increased odds of longer cycles, missing a period, mid cycle bleeding mid cycle bleeding (Farr SL et al 2004 )(Farr SL et al 2004 )

Studies Studies suggestsuggest that occupational exposure to that occupational exposure to certain herbicides (certain herbicides (dicamba, glyphosate, 2,4-Ddicamba, glyphosate, 2,4-D) ) fungicide-insecticides (fungicide-insecticides (thiocarbamatesthiocarbamates) increase the ) increase the time needed to become pregnant by 20% time needed to become pregnant by 20% (Curtis et (Curtis et al 1999)al 1999)

May not know they will become pregnant at the May not know they will become pregnant at the pre conception critical window of exposure pre conception critical window of exposure relative to risks for birth defects relative to risks for birth defects (Sanborn et al 2007) (Sanborn et al 2007)

Risks exposing families through work clothes, Risks exposing families through work clothes, skin, and vehiclesskin, and vehicles (see Work to Home Exposure Pathway (see Work to Home Exposure Pathway slides)slides)

ReferencesReferences Selevan SG, Kimmel CA, Mendola P. Identifying critical windows of Selevan SG, Kimmel CA, Mendola P. Identifying critical windows of

exposure for children's health. Environ Health Perspect. 2000 exposure for children's health. Environ Health Perspect. 2000 Jun;108 Suppl 3:451-5. Review Jun;108 Suppl 3:451-5. Review

Whyatt RM et al. Biomarkers in assessing residential insecticide Whyatt RM et al. Biomarkers in assessing residential insecticide exposures during pregnancy and effects on fetal growth. Tox exposures during pregnancy and effects on fetal growth. Tox Applied Pharm 206 (2): 246-254 AUG 7 2005Applied Pharm 206 (2): 246-254 AUG 7 2005

Ruah VA. et al. Years of Life Among Inner-City Children Impact of Ruah VA. et al. Years of Life Among Inner-City Children Impact of Prenatal Chlorpyrifos Exposure on Neurodevelopment in the First Prenatal Chlorpyrifos Exposure on Neurodevelopment in the First 3. Pediatrics 2006;18:1845-1859.3. Pediatrics 2006;18:1845-1859.

Young JG et al. Association between in utero organophosphate Young JG et al. Association between in utero organophosphate pesticide exposure and abnormal reflexes in neonates. pesticide exposure and abnormal reflexes in neonates. Neurotoxicology. 2005 Mar;26(2):199-209. Neurotoxicology. 2005 Mar;26(2):199-209.

ReferencesReferences Roberts EM et al. Maternal residence near agricultural pesticide Roberts EM et al. Maternal residence near agricultural pesticide

applications and autism spectrum disorders among children in the applications and autism spectrum disorders among children in the California Central Valley. Environ Health Perspect. 2007 California Central Valley. Environ Health Perspect. 2007 Oct;115(10):1482-9 Oct;115(10):1482-9

Arbuckle TE, Savitz DA, Mery LS, Curtis KM. Exposure to phenoxy Arbuckle TE, Savitz DA, Mery LS, Curtis KM. Exposure to phenoxy herbicidesand the risk of spontaneous abortion. herbicidesand the risk of spontaneous abortion. Epidemiology Epidemiology 1999;10:752-60.1999;10:752-60.

Sanborn M, Kerr KJ, Sanin LH, Cole DC, Bassil KL, Vakil C. Non-cancer Sanborn M, Kerr KJ, Sanin LH, Cole DC, Bassil KL, Vakil C. Non-cancer health effects of pesticides: systematic review and implications for health effects of pesticides: systematic review and implications for family doctors. Can Fam Physician. 2007 Oct;53(10):1712-20. family doctors. Can Fam Physician. 2007 Oct;53(10):1712-20.

Farr SL, Cooper GS, Cai J, Savitz DA, Sandler DP. Pesticide use and Farr SL, Cooper GS, Cai J, Savitz DA, Sandler DP. Pesticide use and menstrual cycle characteristics among premenopausal women in the menstrual cycle characteristics among premenopausal women in the Agricultural Health Study. (2004). Agricultural Health Study. (2004).

Curtis KM, Savitz DA, Weinberg CR, Arbuckle TE. The effect of Curtis KM, Savitz DA, Weinberg CR, Arbuckle TE. The effect of pesticide exposure on time to pregnancy. Epidemiology. 1999 pesticide exposure on time to pregnancy. Epidemiology. 1999 Mar;10(2):112-7.Mar;10(2):112-7.