Grantee Research Project Results

Community Based Intervention to Reduce Pesticide Exposures to Young Children

EPA Grant Number: R826709C001
Subproject: this is subproject number 001 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R826709
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Leukemia and the Environment - 2015
Center Director: Metayer, Catherine
Title: Community Based Intervention to Reduce Pesticide Exposures to Young Children
Investigators: Eskenazi, Brenda , Meyers, Jim
Current Investigators: Eskenazi, Brenda
Institution: University of California - Berkeley
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: January 1, 1998 through January 1, 2002
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Children's Health , Human Health

Objective:

Farmworker children are exposed to higher levels of pesticides than other children, because of their proximity to pesticide applications on nearby fields and because of the take-home exposures of their parents. We propose to develop sustainable interventions that are aimed at primary prevention, i.e., to reduce pesticide exposure to farmworker children. Based on a needs assessment conducted by our Community partners (SCORE) in the Salinas Valley in California, we focus our intervention on the reduction of exposure in the home. The 'Healthy Home' model developed initially to reduce children's household exposure to lead and allergens has not previously been applied to the reduction of household pesticide exposure.

One hundred and fourteen 6 month old children of farmworkers and their families residing in the township of Salinas will be randomly allocated to one of three intervention groups: Level 0, no intervention, Level I, pesticide-reduction education, home environmental assessment, deep cleaning of home, and provision of cleaning supplies and storage containers for work clothing; and Level II, Level I plus off-site laundering of work clothes. The interventions will be conducted from the time the child is 6 months to 12 months old. A reduction in the measurement of pesticides in house dust and of pesticide metabolites in the urine of the children from baseline to 6 months later (when the child is 12 months old) will indicate the efficacy of the interventions. A maintained reduction 12 months after the termination of the trial (when the child is 24 months old) will indicate a sustained effect of the intervention.

To maximize the sustainability of the intervention, we will work collaboratively with our Community partners, local and state authorities. and with the community clinics serving this population. We will develop a manual and other educational materials to enable this and other agricultural communities to replicate the project. We will also work with local and State authorities, and advocacy and community groups to incorporate the results of the intervention into appropriate policy changes.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 15 publications for this subproject | View all 141 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 1 journal articles for this subproject | View all 39 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

children, health, pesticide, exposure, farmworker., RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, Air, Toxics, Health Risk Assessment, Environmental Chemistry, pesticides, Risk Assessments, Susceptibility/Sensitive Population/Genetic Susceptibility, Biochemistry, indoor air, Children's Health, genetic susceptability, health effects, pesticide exposure, farmworkers, sensitive populations, home, community-based intervention, infants, children, Human Health Risk Assessment, household, assessment of exposure, children's vulnerablity, human exposure, environmental health hazard, exposure pathways, outreach and education, indoor air quality, age dependent response, air quality, agricultural community, disease, intervention

Progress and Final Reports:

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R826709 Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Leukemia and the Environment - 2015

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R826709C001 Community Based Intervention to Reduce Pesticide Exposures to Young Children
R826709C002 The Epidemiological Investigation of the Effects of Pesticide Exposure on Neurodevelopmental, Growth, and Respiratory Health of Farmworker Children
R826709C003 A Comprehensive Assessment of Sources of Pesticide Contamination, Concentrations in Pathways, and Exposure-prone Behavior

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.