A Pest to Mental Health? Exploring the Link between Exposure to Agrichemicals in Farmers and Mental Health

Nufail Khan, Alison Kennedy, Jacqueline Cotton and Susan Brumby
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Nufail Khan: School of Medicine, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
Alison Kennedy: School of Medicine, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
Jacqueline Cotton: School of Medicine, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
Susan Brumby: School of Medicine, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: The current literature acknowledges that occupational exposures can adversely affect mental health. This review seeks to elucidate the current understanding of the effect of agrichemical exposure on mental health in the agricultural sector, including low-dose, chronic pesticide exposure. This scoping review adopted a snowballing and saturation approach. The review highlights inconsistencies in linking poor mental health and pesticide use. While some studies specifically showed that both high- and low-dose pesticide exposure were associated with poor mental health, consistent and rigorous research methods are lacking. The review also proposes terms to delineate exposure types described in the literature. The review outcomes direct efforts to protect the health, wellbeing and safety of farming communities across the globe.

Keywords: agrichemical; pesticide; organophosphate; mental health; farming; suicide; low-level exposure; chronic toxicity; Total Worker Health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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