Akute Vergiftungen
Pesticide poisonings in Costa Rica (01.01.93)
Wesseling C, Castillo L, and Elinder C-G, Pesticide poisonings in Costa Rica, Scandi-navian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 19, 227-235, 1993
It has been estimated that in Costa Rica the proportion of agricultural workers treated in hospital and by other medical personnel for occupational systemic poisoning (all types of pesticides) each year was about 1.5%, while this figure could be about three times higher if also non-treated poisonings were accounted for. By matching the figures of the hospital registry with those of the forensic department the under-registration of fatalities was esti-mated at about 52% and was more pronounced in remote areas. In the banana-growing region of Costa Rica after matching of figures the already high average mortality rate dou-bled from 2.4 to 4.8 per 100'000 inhabitants per year and paraquat was the causal agent that was identified most frequently. Among agricultural workers the average annual rate of hospitalisations due to pesticide poisoning was between 115 and 130 per 100’000 work-ers, more than 13 times higher than for the general population. The relative risk for hospi-talisation was 1.7 higher for wage-earning workers than for independent farmers. Between 1980 and 1986 the hospital discharge registry listed 3’330 cases of pesticide poisoning. About 50% of the 2’566 poisonings where the cause could be identified were occupational. In the year 1986 paraquat caused 21% of 1’800 occupational accidents (acute poisonings, skin and eye injuries).
It has been estimated that in Costa Rica the proportion of agricultural workers treated in hospital and by other medical personnel for occupational systemic poisoning (all types of pesticides) each year was about 1.5%, while this figure could be about three times higher if also non-treated poisonings were accounted for. By matching the figures of the hospital registry with those of the forensic department the under-registration of fatalities was esti-mated at about 52% and was more pronounced in remote areas. In the banana-growing region of Costa Rica after matching of figures the already high average mortality rate dou-bled from 2.4 to 4.8 per 100'000 inhabitants per year and paraquat was the causal agent that was identified most frequently. Among agricultural workers the average annual rate of hospitalisations due to pesticide poisoning was between 115 and 130 per 100’000 work-ers, more than 13 times higher than for the general population. The relative risk for hospi-talisation was 1.7 higher for wage-earning workers than for independent farmers. Between 1980 and 1986 the hospital discharge registry listed 3’330 cases of pesticide poisoning. About 50% of the 2’566 poisonings where the cause could be identified were occupational. In the year 1986 paraquat caused 21% of 1’800 occupational accidents (acute poisonings, skin and eye injuries).
