NCT00341965

Pesticide Exposure and Health Status in North Carolina African American Male Farmers and Farm Workers

Completed Last updated 3 September 2019

What this trial tests

trial in Pesticide Exposure in 275 participants. Completed in 4 November 2013.

Timeline

27 January 1999

4 November 2013

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Status	Completed
Study type	OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment	275
Start date	27 January 1999
Estimated completion	4 November 2013
Sites	1 location across United States

Conditions studied

• Pesticide Exposure — all drugs for Pesticide Exposure →

Sponsor

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

Who can join

18 and older, male only, with Pesticide Exposure. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

We propose to conduct a study to increase our understanding of farming practices and of the potential for previous exposure to DDT in North Carolina African American male agricultural workers, a group especially likely to have had high DDT exposure. Because of potentially widespread DDT exposure from agricultural activities, African American farmers and farm workers may be uniquely at risk for any associated health effects. However, little is known about levels of pesticide exposure in African American farming populations. Three hundred and eighty-nine African American men who are current or former farmers or farm workers will be asked to participate in the study. These men are members of the Supplemental Minority Cohort of the NCI/NIEHS/EPA Agricultural Health Study (AHS). The AHS is a prospective study of the potential health effects associated with agricultural exposures. Men in the supplemental cohort were recruited in 1996. At that time, they completed an enrollment questionnaire that focused on lifetime agricultural exposures, demographics, lifestyle factors and health. In this new study, a follow-up questionnaire will be administered by telephone by a trained interviewer to all men. Following the interview, the participant will be asked to donate a blood specimen, to have anthropometric indices (e.g., height, weight, waist and hip circumference, etc.) measured, and to have a top- and side view Polaroid photograph of their head taken during one visit to a central community location, such as the local church or health clinic. We will quantitatively document serum p,p'-DDE levels, correlate these with self-reported farming activities and DDT exposure, and describe the health status of these men. We will also correlate serum p,p'-DDE levels and androgen concentrations, since p,p'-DDE is thought to be a potent androgen receptor antagonist. This exploration of the potential link between levels is important because the demonstration of any subclinical physiological effects of p,p'-DDE would increase the plausibility of a wide range of health effects that have been postulated to be associated with the endogenous endocrine environment and the so-called endocrine disrupters. In addition, we will evaluate the relationship between several important physiological parameters which can be easily and accurately measured in serum, and physical characteristics including hair patterning and distribution of body fat in these African American men.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.