Acute Poisonings
Overview of Pesticide Poisoning in South Korea (22.12.09)
J Rural Med 2009; 4(2): 53.58; Won Jin Lee and Eun Shil Cha
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
The purpose of the article is to provide an overview of pesticide poisoning in South Korea and the relevant epidemiologic characteristics. During the period of 1996.2005, an approximate average of twenty-five hundred fatalities occurred per year due to pesticide poisoning. Intentional self-poisoning was the primary cause of death due to pesticides (84.8% of total pesticide poisoning deaths). The prevalence of non-fatal pesticide poisoning among farmers varied from 5.7% to 86.7%. Paraquat was the leading causative agent for pesticide poisoning, followed by organophosphate insecticides. A variety of work-related factors such as pesticide usage, pesticide application days, hazardous practices and poor personal hygiene were significantly related with pesticide poisoning. The majority of the poisoned were male, elderly individuals possessing low levels of education and residing in rural areas.
Pesticide poisoning made up the largest proportion of all deaths by poisoning in South Korea. Acute pesticide poisoning has also been reported as a prevalent health problem among South Korean farmers.
A small number of mortality studies on pesticide poisoning have been conducted using death registration data from South Korea. The most recent study3) reported that the total number of pesticide poisoning deaths from 1996 through 2005 was 25,360 and that the age-standardized mortality rates by pesticide poisoning significantly increased from 4.42 to 6.42 per 100,000 population. Among these, intentional selfpoisoning was the primary cause of death from pesticides (84.8% of total pesticide-related deaths). In South Korea, anyone is allowed to buy, handle and apply toxic agricultural chemicals without any necessary safety procedures. However, accidental poisoning deaths continue to occur due to dangerous work practices, poor personal hygienic practices, inappropriate mixing of pesticides and insufficient education on pesticide usage.
From 1996 to 2005, herbicides and fungicides were the major causative agents for pesticide poisoning death among all pesticide-related deaths, followed by unspecified pesticides and organophosphates and carbamate insecticides. In the nationwide 38-hospital study, the most frequent causative pesticide was paraquat, (35.5%), followed by organophosphate insecticides (20.5%), organophosphate herbicides (15.5%) and pyrethroid insecticides (8.5%).
Studies based on hospital records or mortality data may underestimate the full impact of pesticide poisoning.
Deaths from pesticide poisoning increased substantially during the last decade, whereas the total death rate in South Korea decreased markedly. Non-fatal poisoning cases were also reported to be a prevalent health issue among South Korean farmers. Paraquat was the principle causative agent in pesticide poisoning cases, and a variety of factors, including work-related, socio-demographic and seasonal factors were significantly related with pesticide poisoning.
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Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
The purpose of the article is to provide an overview of pesticide poisoning in South Korea and the relevant epidemiologic characteristics. During the period of 1996.2005, an approximate average of twenty-five hundred fatalities occurred per year due to pesticide poisoning. Intentional self-poisoning was the primary cause of death due to pesticides (84.8% of total pesticide poisoning deaths). The prevalence of non-fatal pesticide poisoning among farmers varied from 5.7% to 86.7%. Paraquat was the leading causative agent for pesticide poisoning, followed by organophosphate insecticides. A variety of work-related factors such as pesticide usage, pesticide application days, hazardous practices and poor personal hygiene were significantly related with pesticide poisoning. The majority of the poisoned were male, elderly individuals possessing low levels of education and residing in rural areas.
Pesticide poisoning made up the largest proportion of all deaths by poisoning in South Korea. Acute pesticide poisoning has also been reported as a prevalent health problem among South Korean farmers.
A small number of mortality studies on pesticide poisoning have been conducted using death registration data from South Korea. The most recent study3) reported that the total number of pesticide poisoning deaths from 1996 through 2005 was 25,360 and that the age-standardized mortality rates by pesticide poisoning significantly increased from 4.42 to 6.42 per 100,000 population. Among these, intentional selfpoisoning was the primary cause of death from pesticides (84.8% of total pesticide-related deaths). In South Korea, anyone is allowed to buy, handle and apply toxic agricultural chemicals without any necessary safety procedures. However, accidental poisoning deaths continue to occur due to dangerous work practices, poor personal hygienic practices, inappropriate mixing of pesticides and insufficient education on pesticide usage.
From 1996 to 2005, herbicides and fungicides were the major causative agents for pesticide poisoning death among all pesticide-related deaths, followed by unspecified pesticides and organophosphates and carbamate insecticides. In the nationwide 38-hospital study, the most frequent causative pesticide was paraquat, (35.5%), followed by organophosphate insecticides (20.5%), organophosphate herbicides (15.5%) and pyrethroid insecticides (8.5%).
Studies based on hospital records or mortality data may underestimate the full impact of pesticide poisoning.
Deaths from pesticide poisoning increased substantially during the last decade, whereas the total death rate in South Korea decreased markedly. Non-fatal poisoning cases were also reported to be a prevalent health issue among South Korean farmers. Paraquat was the principle causative agent in pesticide poisoning cases, and a variety of factors, including work-related, socio-demographic and seasonal factors were significantly related with pesticide poisoning.
Read more
