Pesticide Exposure and Suicidal Ideation in Rural Communities in Zhejiang Province, China

The association between pesticide exposure & suicide ideation in rural areas of China was investigated. Data was gathered from a survey of a representative sample of 9811 rural residents in Zhejiang province who had been asked about the storage of pesticides at home & whether or not they had considered suicide within the 2 years before being interviewed. The unadjusted odds ratio for the association between pesticide storage at home & suicide ideation over the prior 2 years was 2.12. Given the high level of pesticide exposure & the high suicide risk in rural China, clarification of the causal mechanisms underlying this association & the development of appropriate interventions are priorities for public health & health policy. (38 refs.)