Acute pesticide-related illnesses among working youths, 1988-1999.

OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to describe acute occupational pesticide-related illnesses among youths and to provide prevention recommendations. METHODS Survey data from 8 states and from poison control center data were analyzed. Illness incidence rates and incidence rate ratios were calculated. RESULTS A total of 531 youths were identified with acute occupational pesticide-related illnesses. Insecticides were responsible for most of these illnesses (68%), most of which were of minor severity (79%). The average annual incidence rate among youths aged 15 to 17 years was 20.4 per billion hours worked, and the incidence rate ratio among youths vs adults was 1.71 (95% confidence interval = 1.53, 1.91). CONCLUSIONS The present findings suggest the need for greater efforts to prevent acute occupational pesticide-related illnesses among adolescents.