Occupational Exposure to Pesticides as a Risk Factor for Sleep Disorders

Ruirui Zheng, Jessica García-González (), Raúl Romero-del Rey, Antonia López-Villén, Rafael García-Alvarez, Rosario Fadul-Calderon, Mar Requena-Mullor and Raquel Alarcón-Rodríguez
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Ruirui Zheng: Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Jessica García-González: Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Raúl Romero-del Rey: Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Antonia López-Villén: Torrecárdenas Hospital, 04009 Almería, Spain
Rafael García-Alvarez: Faculty of Health Sciences, Human Sexuality Institute, Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo 10103, Dominican Republic
Rosario Fadul-Calderon: Faculty of Health Sciences, Human Sexuality Institute, Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo 10103, Dominican Republic
Mar Requena-Mullor: Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Raquel Alarcón-Rodríguez: Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: Inadequate sleep has been linked to a variety of impairments in bodily functions, including endocrine, metabolic, higher cortical function, and neurological disorders. For this reason, the aim of this study was to analyze the link between occupational pesticide exposure and sleep health among farmers in Almeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a population living on the coast of Almeria (southeastern Spain), where about 33,321 hectares of land are used for intensive agriculture in plastic greenhouses. A total of 380 individuals participated in the study: 189 greenhouse workers and 191 control subjects. The participants were contacted during their annual scheduled occupational health survey. Data on sleep disturbances were collected using the Spanish version of the Oviedo Sleep Questionnaire. Agricultural workers were found to be at a significantly higher risk of insomnia, especially among those who did not wear protective gloves (OR = 3.12; 95% C.I. = 1.93–3.85; p = 0.04) or masks (OR = 2.43; 95% C.I. = 1.19–4.96; p = 0.01). The highest risk of insomnia related to pesticide applicators was observed in those who did not wear a mask (OR = 4.19; 95% C.I. = 1.30–13.50; p = 0.01) or goggles (OR = 4.61; 95% C.I. = 1.38–10.40; p = 0.01). This study supports previous findings indicating an increased risk of sleep disorder in agricultural workers exposed to pesticides at work.

Keywords: farmers; occupational exposure; pesticides; sleep disorder (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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