Analysis of the risk factors for pesticide poisoning among children in countryside of Guigang city / 中华预防医学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was to investigate the risk factors for pesticide poisoning among rural children in Guigang.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A 14 matched case-control study was conducted. A total of 78 rural children who were hospitalized or visited the out-patient clinic due to pesticide poisoning in Guigang from January to December in 2009 were recruited as cases, and 312 matched controls were recruited during the same time. The children's parents or guardians were surveyed with a questionnaire. The questionnaire including general information and 21 possible risk factors concerned in family structure, guardian status, educational level of parents, average annual family income, family and school health education and dangerous behavior in children. The data were analyzed by conditional logistic regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Three risk factors and five protective factors were identified significantly associated with pesticide poisoning in rural children. The risk factors included inappropriate deposit of hydrocomion and contaminated working clothes (OR = 3.529, 95%CI 1.408 - 8.848), playing outside frequently (OR = 2.846, 95%CI 1.513 - 5.352), grandparents being children's guardian (OR = 2.187, 95%CI 1.187 - 4.029). The protective factors included high frequency of guardianship (OR = 0.408, 95%CI 0.205 - 0.811), knowledge for poisoning prevention (OR = 0.412, 95%CI 0.224 - 0.758), washing working clothes in time (OR = 0.435, 95%CI 0.212 - 0.893), taking health educational courses in school (OR = 0.448, 95%CI 0.232 - 0.867) and teaching children non-access to toxic agents regularly (OR = 0.462, 95%CI 0.227 - 0.939).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Childhood pesticide poisoning accidence in countryside of Guigang was caused by multiple factors including children's risk behaviors, family factors, environmental factors and health education.</p>