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. 2006 Oct;48(10):1005-13.
doi: 10.1097/01.jom.0000235938.70212.dd.

Depression and pesticide exposures in female spouses of licensed pesticide applicators in the agricultural health study cohort

Cheryl Beseler  1 , Lorann Stallones, Jane A Hoppin, Michael C R Alavanja, Aaron Blair, Thomas Keefe, Freya Kamel
Affiliations

Depression and pesticide exposures in female spouses of licensed pesticide applicators in the agricultural health study cohort

Cheryl Beseler et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2006 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: This nested case-control study evaluated the association between depression and pesticide exposure among women.

Methods: The study population included 29,074 female spouses of private pesticide applicators enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study between 1993 and 1997. Cases were women who had physician-diagnosed depression requiring medication. Lifetime pesticide use was categorized as never mixed/applied pesticides, low exposure (up to 225 days), high exposure (>225 days), and a history of diagnosed pesticide poisoning.

Results: After adjustment for state, age, race, off-farm work, alcohol, cigarette smoking, physician visits, and solvent exposure, depression was significantly associated with a history of pesticide poisoning (odds ratio [OR] = 3.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.72-6.19) but not low (OR = 1.09; CI = 0.91-1.31) or high (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 0.91-1.31) cumulative pesticide exposure.

Conclusion: Pesticide poisoning may contribute to risk of depression.

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