Pesticide Exposure or Pesticide Poisoning and the Risk of Depression in Agricultural Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Evidence suggests that farm workers represent a high-risk population for the development of depression. The aim of the study was to clarify the association between pesticide exposure/poisoning and depression. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis were conducted in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Relevant studies were included through searching in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, CINAHL and pre-print services databases. A total of eight studies were included. A positive but non-significant association was observed between pesticide use and depression (OR = 1.123; 95% CI, 0.932–1.354, p-value =.221) while a significant positive association was observed between pesticide poisoning and depression (OR = 2.942; 95% CI, 1.791–4.831, p-value