Pesticide Poisoning in Mexican Seasonal Farm Workers

Abstract

The authors investigated pesticide poisoning in 200 seasonal farm workers employed in a small area in northwest Mexico. Of these workers, 45% were migrants from southern Mexico, and 70% were men. Most were about 20 years old; 59% could read at the third-grade level. Few had received information about pesticides; 30% did not wear personal protective gear; and 20% had experienced acute pesticide poisoning at least once during the season investigated.