Occupational exposure to pesticides and symptoms of depression in agricultural workers. A systematic review

The use of pesticides can result in harm to both the environment and human health. There is a growing concern in the field of occupational health about the impact on the mental health of agricultural workers. The objective of this review was to systematize scientific evidence from the last ten years on the impact of occupational exposure to pesticides on the development of depression symptoms in agricultural workers. We conducted a comprehensive search in the PubMed and Scopus databases from 2011 to September 2022. Our search included studies in English, Spanish, and Portuguese that examined the association between occupational exposure to pesticides and symptoms of depression in agricultural workers, following the guidelines recommended by the PRISMA statement and the PECO strategy (Population, Exposure, Comparison, and Outcomes). Among the 27 articles reviewed, 78% of them indicated a link between exposure to pesticides and the incidence of depression symptoms. The pesticides most frequently reported in the studies were organophosphates (17 studies), herbicides (12 studies), and pyrethroids (11 studies). The majority of the studies were rated as having intermediate to intermediate-high quality, with the use of standardized measures to assess both exposure and effect. The updated evidence presented in our review indicates a clear association between pesticide exposure and the development of depressive symptoms. However, more high-quality longitudinal studies are necessary to control for sociocultural variables and utilize pesticide-specific biomarkers and biomarkers of depression. Given the increased use of these chemicals and the health risks associated with depression, it is crucial to implement more stringent measures to monitor the mental health of agricultural workers regularly exposed to pesticides and to enhance surveillance of companies that apply these chemicals. •Occupational exposure to pesticides could affect the mental health of farmers.•There are no systematic reviews that address the last 10 years of studies on depressive symptoms in agricultural workers..•Our review updates information on the relationship between pesticide exposure and the development of depression symptoms.•More longitudinal studies are needed to study occupational pesticide exposure and depression with specific biomarkers.