Green tobacco sickness and skin integrity among migrant Latino farmworkers

Abstract

Background: Green tobacco sickness (GTS) affects approximately one-quarter of tobacco workers. The primary aim of this analysis is to expand existing knowledge of GTS risk factors by delineating the association of measures of skin integrity with the prevalence of GTS among Latino farmworkers.

Methods: Data are from a longitudinal study of skin disease among 304 North Carolina Latino farmworkers conducted in 2005.

Results: 18.4% of the farmworkers met the GTS case definition. Self-reported rash increased the odds of having GTS in the bivariate (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.21, 4.35), and multivariate analyses (OR 3.30, CI 2.17, 5.02). Self-reported itch (OR 3.54, CI 2.38, 5.24) and superficial wounds (OR 2.49, CI 1.15, 5.39) had a significant relationship to GTS in the bivariate analysis.

Conclusions: These analyses extend current knowledge of GTS risk factors to include skin integrity. Farmworkers with rash and other skin conditions can protect these affected skin areas from exposure to the tobacco plant to reduce their risk of GTS.