Carly Hyland

Prenatal pesticide exposure has been associated with adverse health outcomes, and farmworkers have higher pesticide exposure than the general public. Thus, it is crucial to characterize pesticide exposure and identify strategies to reduce exposure among agricultural workers during pregnancy. Previous studies have conducted biomonitoring among agricultural workers in the US, but data gaps exist regarding the accessibility of resulting report-back materials. We conducted focus groups with a subset of participants from a study examining prenatal occupational pesticide exposure to assess preferences for biomonitoring report-back materials and methods. We aimed to understand: 1) how to present urinary pesticide biomonitoring results in an accessible manner, 2) what additional information participants would like to receive with their results, and 3) other concerns participants have about pesticide exposure and desired resources. Participants (n=7) took part in two separate focus groups in November 2024 in Salinas, CA. Focus group recordings were transcribed, translated from Spanish to English, checked for accuracy, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Participants ranged in age from 19-37 years, were all born in Mexico, and primarily spoke either Mixteco (n=4) or Spanish (n=3). Participants indicated that written materials communicating biomonitoring report-back or health information were not accessible, and some found words such as ‘concentration’ and ‘average,’ common in biomonitoring, to be confusing. Overall, participants voiced a strong preference to receive biomonitoring report-back materials 1) in person, in consultation with a subject-matter expert, and 2) via videos so they could pause, rewind, and rewatch content. Researchers should consider participants as important stakeholders when designing biomonitoring report-back materials and processes.

H-2A farmworkers in the United States live in a state of liminality, navigating systemic precarity as they move between their home countries and employment in the U.S. While the H-2A program offers benefits such as legal passage across the bor­der, a guaranteed minimum wage, housing, and transportation, the program also presents signifi­cant challenges. Some scholars claim the H-2A program is akin to modern-day slavery and argue temporary agricultural wodrkers experience unfree­dom in their labor. In this paper, we share data related to H-2A farmworkers collected during a 2022 study on pesticide risk and exposure in Idaho. Drawing upon interview and survey data, we explore the precarity inherent in the H-2A pro­gram, and consider logistical, financial, and socio-emotional challenges facing H-2A workers, high­lighting the experiences of a small group of farm­workers in Idaho. Through the analysis of this data, we find evidence that H-2A farmworkers in Idaho experience liminality, precarity, and unfreedom. This paper is a timely call for additional research on H-2A farmworker experiences. We highlight specific issues, concerns, and trends that warrant additional study.

Environmental Health Perspectives is an Open Access journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Environmental Health Perspectives is an Open Access journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Studies suggest that acute pesticide poisonings (APP) may be linked with long-term neurological effects. To examine long-term neurological and psychological distress symptoms associated with having experienced an APP, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 300 conventional and organic smallholder farmers from Zarcero County, Costa Rica, May–August 2016. We collected self-reported data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational history, pesticide exposure, APPs, neurological and psychological distress symptoms (using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)). Adjusted logistic regression models were fit. A total of 14% of the farmers (98% male) reported experiencing at least one APP during their lifetime. Self-reported APP was associated with neurological symptoms during the 12 months prior to interview (e.g., fainting (Odds Ratio: 7.48, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.83, 30.74), shaking hands (3.50; 1.60, 7.60), numbness/tingling in hands or feet (3.23; 1.66, 6.32), insomnia (2.53; 1.34, 4.79), accelerated heartrate (2.42; 1.03, 5.47), dizziness (2.38; 1.19, 4.72), increased irritability/anger (2.37; 1.23, 4.55), low energy (2.33; 1.23, 4.46), and difficulty concentrating (2.01; 1.05, 3.85)). Farmers who reported an APP in the ten years prior to interview experienced increased odds of abnormal BSI scores for hostility (4.51; 1.16, 17.70) and paranoid ideation (3.76; 0.99, 18.18). Having experienced an APP may be associated with long-term neurological and psychological distress symptoms.