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T E Gamsky

Publications and source records attributed to T E Gamsky.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Epidemiology of dermatitis among California farm workers.

To estimate the prevalence of dermatitis and risk factors for skin disease in California farm workers, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among grape, citrus, and tomato workers. The prevalence of contact dermatitis was 2% and lichenified hand dermatitis was 13%. Grape workers were more likely to report rashes in the last 12 months than were tomato workers or citrus workers. Grape workers were more likely to have contact dermatitis and lichenified hand dermatitis than were citrus or tomato workers. Increasing hours per week in agriculture, male sex, and not wearing gloves were associated with more lichenified hand dermatitis. We conclude that skin disease in agricultural workers may be causally associated with crop-specific exposures and lack of protective equipment.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Reduced FVC among California grape workers.

Pulmonary disease due to organic and inorganic dust inhalation represents a significant health problem in the agricultural community. In response to concern over the potential adverse health effects of agricultural exposures, and to address the question of whether the specific crop worked was associated with decreased lung function, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of pulmonary function in a population of 238 grape workers, 355 tomato workers, and 166 citrus workers in California's Central Valley. In addition, 92 workers (66 males and 26 females) performed spirometry before and after an 8-h work shift. Multiple regression analysis of pulmonary function in all 759 workers revealed that age, height, and smoking-adjusted mean preshift FVC was lower in grape workers than in citrus workers in each of three sex and age groups studied: decreased 314 ml for males greater than or equal to 25 yr of age p less than 0.05, 82 ml for males less than 25 yr, and 83 ml for females greater than or equal to 20 yr. Mean adjusted preshift FVC was also lower in grape workers than tomato workers (decreased 249 ml in males greater than or equal to 25 yr [p less than 0.05], 51 ml for males less than 25 yr, and 46 ml for females greater than or equal to 20 yr). Adjusted mean FEV1 was not different by crop, but FEV1/FVC and forced-expiratory flow from 25 to 75% of the FVC (FEF25-75) were significantly elevated in grape workers of the three age and sex groups compared with citrus or tomato workers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Smoking, respiratory symptoms, and pulmonary function among a population of Hispanic farmworkers.

We conducted a cross-sectional study in the agricultural Central Valley to evaluate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, smoking status, and pulmonary function in Hispanic California farmworkers. Of 759 farmworkers completing questionnaires and spirometry, 747 were Hispanic. The prevalences of current, former, and never smokers (29, 17, and 54 percent, respectively) were comparable to rates in other studies of Hispanics, but daily cigarette consumption (median-five for men and three for women) was lower than in comparison populations. Prevalences of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, and persistent wheeze were low (1.6, 5.1, and 2.8 percent, respectively). Current smoking, increased age, female sex, and working greater than or equal to 8 months per year in agriculture were associated with increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms. Adjusted lung function was higher than for reference populations. Hispanic California farmworkers have a similar smoking prevalence to other Hispanic populations, but lower respiratory symptom prevalences and higher pulmonary function are consistent with lower daily cigarette consumption and the "healthy worker effect."

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

N-acetyltransferase phenotype and risk in urinary bladder cancer: approaches in molecular epidemiology. Preliminary results in Sweden and Denmark.

A variable but often significant proportion of urinary bladder cancer in urban areas can be attributed to occupational and cultural (cigarette smoking) situations associated with exposures to various arylamines. The variable N-acetylation of carcinogenic arylamines by human hepatic enzyme systems, the known genetic regulation and polymorphic distribution of this enzyme activity in humans, and the known enhanced susceptibility of individuals with the genetically-distinct "slow acetylator" phenotype to various arylamine toxicities, has prompted examination of possible correlations between N-acetyltransferase phenotype and urinary bladder cancer risk in rural and urban populations. In this context, N-acetylation is viewed as a component of detoxication pathways with respect to arylamine bladder carcinogenesis. In preliminary utilizations of this approach, a population of urban urinary bladder cancer patients from Copenhagen, Denmark displayed a 13% excess (p = 0.065) of individuals with the slow acetylator phenotype (46/71 = 64.8%) when compared to a Danish control population (38/74 = 51.4%). These data are consistent with the possibility that arylamines may play an etiological role in bladder cancer in this locale and that slow acetylator individuals may be at higher relative risk (1.74) than rapid acetylator individuals. As 95% of patients reported histories of smoking, it was not possible to isolate and examine smoking factors. In contrast, a population of rural urinary bladder cancer patients from Lund, Sweden, where bladder cancer incidence (20/100,000) (1971) is lower than in Copenhagen (43.8/100,000) (1968-72), no difference in slow acetylator distribution was observed between bladder cancer (80/115 = 69.6%) and Swedish control (79/118 = 66.9%) populations, indicating a relative lack of involvement of arylamines in the etiology of rural bladder cancer. Populations of "spontaneous" bladder cancer patients would be expected to contain variable portions of disease related to arylamine exposure and would be less likely to display a detectable correlation than would an industrial population with documentable arylamine exposure. Consequently, confirmation of this hypothesis is being pursued by examination of industrial populations in an effort to obtain an empirical estimate of relative risk for slow and rapid acetylator phenotypes. These studies involve exposure-matched workmen both with and without bladder cancer.

Acetyltransferases↗