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Jiang-Su province
Results and discussion
By the late 1980s, the number of cases of work-related acute pesticide poisoning
in Jiang-Su province had decreased gradually to half the number in the
1970s (Fig. 1). In 1981, the number of occupational poisonings tripled, but,
because the number of people applying pesticides had increased five times,
the overall incidence of poisoning cases was not elevated. However, after 1982,
the number of nonoccupational poisonings remained steady at triple the
1970's rate. Fortunately, over the same period, the death rate due to nonoccupational
poisoning decreased (Fig. 2). Thus, the overall mortality rate from
pesticide poisoning did not increase at all.
Of the 80 million people in the province of Jiang-Su, 70% live in rural areas;
70% of these people are engaged in agriculture as their main occupation. On
average, 1.2-1.3 people/family are involved in the application of pesticides.
The estimated rate of occupational poisoning among those exposed to pesticides
is 0.4 per 1 000. The use of pesticides is an occupational hazard that has
resulted in the loss of life, health, and economic productivity. Most of these
incidents are easily preventable compared with other occupational hazards.
In contrast, nonoccupational intoxication is a complex social and mentalhealth
issue as most of the victims result from attempted suicide. Although
Jiang-Su has a huge population, the incidence of nonoccupational intoxication
was low. The crude mortality rate from nonoccupational pesticide poisoning
50 - Occupational
Nonoccupational
0-
1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988
Fig. 1. Recorded cases of acute occupational and nonoccupational poisoning
in Jiang-Su province, 1973-1988.
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