61%), to have more than a high school education (44% vs. Those of the original applicators who did not complete the interview included 12% who could not be contacted, 10% who declined the interview, 1% who were excluded for various reasons, and 4% who were deceased the remainder were not interviewed because of illness ( 60 years old) and were more likely to be from Iowa (67% vs. Among private applicators (primarily farmers) who completed the Applicator Questionnaire at enrollment, 16,246 (73%) also completed the follow-up interview. AHS Questionnaires are available on the website ( Five years after enrollment, follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with AHS cohort members. 14 The Enrollment and Applicator Questionnaires elicited information on pesticide exposure, demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and medical history. Those who completed both questionnaires were similar in most respects, including pesticide exposure, to those who completed only the Enrollment Questionnaire. Enrolled applicators were asked to complete a supplemental, self-administered Applicator Questionnaire, and 22,915 of them (44%) complied. 13 Briefly, 52,393 private applicators (82% of those eligible) completed a self-administered Enrollment Questionnaire. Details of the AHS are described elsewhere. In particular, we wished to determine whether exposures to pesticides in general, to classes of pesticides, and to individual pesticides were associated with hearing loss among cohort members.īetween 19, applicants for certification to use restricted-use pesticides in Iowa or North Carolina were recruited to participate in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS). 13 The purpose of the research reported here was to investigate the association between pesticide exposures and self-reported hearing loss among private pesticide applicators in the AHS. The Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is a prospective study of a cohort of licensed pesticide applicators and their families. Pesticide classes other than OPs and pyrethroids have not previously been considered. 10 – 12 However, these studies were small and had little information on details of pesticide exposure or effects of specific chemicals. 8, 9 Several recent articles have suggested that non-poisoned pesticide applicators exposed to OPs or pyrethroids may also sustain hearing loss. A few case studies have pointed to acute poisoning with organophosphate insecticides (OPs) as one potential cause of permanent, bilateral hearing loss. Several pesticides are neurotoxic and could potentially affect hearing. 4 – 7 Hearing loss has also been a noted side-effect of certain antibiotics and antineoplastics (e.g., the aminoglycosides and cisplatin). 1 – 3 Hearing loss is commonly associated with aging, noise exposure, and head trauma, but a growing body of evidence also links hearing loss to chemical exposure, most notably solvents and heavy metals. Hearing loss may also increase risk of occupational injury because of inability to hear warning signals or shouts. Hearing loss imposes many burdens on workers, including communication difficulties, possible job loss, and stigma.

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