The relationship between pesticide exposures and primary headaches in adults: A cross-sectional study based on Rafsanjan cohort study

Alireza Vakilian; Parvin Khalili; Zahra Jamali; Amir Moghadam -Ahmadi; Nazanin Jalali; Movahedeh Mohamadi; Seyed Hamid Pakzadmoghadam; Fatemeh Ayoobi

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102621

The relationship between pesticide exposures and primary headaches in adults: A cross-sectional study based on Rafsanjan cohort study

Prev Med Rep. 2024 Jan 22:38:102621. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102621. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Authors

Alireza Vakilian^{1

2}, Parvin Khalili³, Zahra Jamali¹, Amir Moghadam -Ahmadi^{1

4}, Nazanin Jalali^{1

2}, Movahedeh Mohamadi¹, Seyed Hamid Pakzadmoghadam⁵, Fatemeh Ayoobi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
² Neurology Department, School of Medicine, Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
³ Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
⁴ Neuro-Immunology Research Scholar, Neurological Research Laboratory, Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁵ Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Medicine, Ali Ibn Abitaleb Educational and Treatment Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan.
⁶ Occupational Safety and Health Research Center, NICICO, World Safety Organization and Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.

Abstract

Objectives: Toxic substances can trigger headaches. The prevalence of pesticide use and headaches was high among the population of Rafsanjan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to collect data from 9991 adults who participated via sampling people aged 35-70 years old of both genders from the Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS) in Iran. Demographic characteristics, habits, chronic primary headache (CPH), and episodic primary headache (EPH) were measured.

Results: The prevalence of CPH and EPH were 7.4 % and 29.9 % respectively. The multivariable model showed the odds of EPH increased significantly by the pesticide exposure on farm OR: 1.16 (1.02-1.34), in yard OR: 1.18 (1.01-1.39), duration of pesticide exposure in yard > median OR: 1.35 (1.06-1.73), at home OR: 1.31 (1.17-1.46), duration of pesticide exposure at home ≤ median OR: 1.24 (1.10-1.40) and > median OR: 1.38 (1.22-1.57). Also, pesticide preparation OR: 1.20 (1.03-1.39), duration of exposure in pesticide preparation ≤ median OR: 1.31 (1.09-1.57), and duration of exposure in managed spraying pesticide > median OR: 1.28 (1.04-1.57) increased odds of EPH. These results showed that the odds of CPH increased in participants using pesticides at home OR: 1.22 (1.02-1.48), duration of pesticide exposure at home > median OR: 1.37 (1.11-1.70), and duration of pesticide exposure in pesticide preparation > median OR: 0.47 (0.27-0.82). The odds of EPH increased with more pesticide exposures (18 %) and duration of pesticide exposure (25 %).

Conclusions: As evidenced by the obtained results, there is a relationship between pesticide exposure and headaches.

Keywords: Pesticide exposure; Primary headaches; Prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran; Rafsanjan cohort study.