Pesticide exposure and rhinitis: A cross-sectional study among farmers in Pitsanulok, Thailand

Abstract

Background: Pesticide exposure has been suspected to cause rhinitis, a common disease that affects the health and well-being of millions of people around the world. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between pesticide use and rhinitis prevalence among farmers in Phitsanulok province, Thailand.   Methods: Data on historical pesticide use and rhinitis were collected by an in-person interview questionnaire. Data from 9,649 participants were included in the analysis. The association between pesticide exposure and rhinitis was determined by multiple variable logistic regression, adjusted for potential confounding factors.  Results: The study found a strong association between pesticide exposure and the prevalence of rhinitis. The association was consistent across various types of pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and molluscicides) and individual pesticides. Some of the relationships were in a dose-response pattern. This finding was new as previous studies often reported the association of only a few specific pesticides. Conclusions: The results from this large cross-sectional study strongly support existing literature on the potential effects of pesticides on rhinitis. In addition, the analysis showed that the rhinitis effect was in fact related to the properties of the types of pesticides rather than individual chemical toxicity. The impact of pesticides on rhinitis should receive more attention from public health and other organizations responsible for the farmers’ health.