Authors
Arcury-TA; Quandt-SA; Garcia-DI; Preisser-JS-Jr; Norton-D; Rao-P
Source
South Med J 2002 Sep; 95(9):1008-1011
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Green tobacco sickness (GTS) is a highly prevalent occupational illness among tobacco workers. Working in wet tobacco is a major risk factor for GTS. Little is known about preventing GTS. This analysis examines possible GTS preventive measures. METHODS: Data were collected from 36 patients with GTS and 40 controls who presented at clinics in eastern North Carolina in 1999 and 2000. Each participant completed an interview that included questions about their personal characteristics, work characteristics, and GTS risk factors. RESULTS: Participants were Mexican men. Those with GTS were much less likely to have worn rain suits while working in wet tobacco and more likely to be in the United States on a work contract. CONCLUSIONS: Wearing a rain suit while working in wet tobacco can significantly reduce the risk of GTS among tobacco workers. Care must be taken that farmworkers do not have heat stress from wearing rain suits.
Keywords
Farmers; Agriculture; Agricultural-workers; Agricultural-industry; Occupational-health; Occupational-diseases; Tobacco; Tobacco-industry; Demographic-characteristics; Racial-factors; Injuries; Workers; Worker-health; Work-environment; Safety-measures; Safety-practices; Qualitative-analysis
Contact
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1084
Document Type
Journal Article
Identifying No.
Grant-Number-R01-OH-003648
Priority Area
Work Environment And Workforce: Special Populations
Source Name
Southern Medical Journal
Performing Organization
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina