Pesticide-related Symptoms among Farm Workers in Rural Honduras

Abstract

A survey of 96 families in a rural region of Honduras, conducted in 1998, showed that 80 of these predominantly (95 or 96) farming families used pesticides in their work or at home. Paraquat was used most often, and safety measures were very rarely taken in its use. Seventy-seven families stored pesticide containers in their homes, often within the reach of children. Every worker who used paraquat had at least one symptom potentially related to its use, and the prevalences of childhood disorders in the region are abnormally high compared with national averages.

Keywords:

• pesticides
• paraquat
• Honduras
• farm workers
• children