and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

OCCUPATIONAL I'I3STCIDF EXI{)SURF AMONG FIIPINO FARMERS 443
canal or hand-pump water supply. It should be noted, however, that farmers
clean their backpack sprayers in the same irrigation canal where they bathe.
Regarding person-l habits, 94% did not smoke and 97.5% did not eat during
application.
The identified risk factors were correlated with the change in cholinesterase
levels, grip strength and pulse rate. There were no statistically significant
relationships in any of these parameters. It is noteworthy that the outcome
variables such as choline:;terase levels, grip strength and pulse rate did not show
statistically significant diflerences from baseline when compared at the end of the
season. This could have affected the regression analysis.
The risk factors were also correlated with symptomatology of
orgaiophosphate an(l carbamate i;ticidc absL;*ptica. "lnc only statistically
significant corrcltions were found between the above two parameters and wind
direction (P = 0.04) and alcohol intake (P = 0.08).
Cholinesterase levels was also correlated with grip strength in an endeavor
to explore the possibility of making use of grip strength in surveillance of
farmers. No statistically significant finding was noted. Thus, grip strength is
not a good mea