Frank de Vocht, Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health Research
MRC INTEGRATIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY UNIT (IEU)
SEMINAR SERIES
Thursday, 15th January, 2015
16.00 – 17.00
Room OS6 – Oakfield House
Dr Frank de Vocht
Senior lecturer in epidemiology and public health research
NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR). School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol
“Using structural equation models to protect children (from pesticides)”
Abstract
The use of pesticides in agriculture may lead to downstream exposure of farmers' families to pesticide residues inadvertently taken home. Identification of the independent contribution of different exposure pathways from the farmer to their children can provide clear targets to reduce exposure of farmers' children.
We conducted a study amongst 72 Thai families. Family members completed a questionnaire and self-collected three spot morning urine samples in the spraying season. Urine samples were analysed for a screen of pesticide-specific metabolites. A path model was developed based on an a priori hypothesized framework to examine the individual contributions of different exposure pathways that may directly or indirectly affect transfer of pesticide residues from farmers to their children.
Clear targets for interventions related to farmers' take-home exposures and indirectly by avoiding build-up of pesticide residues in the home environment were identified.
Frank de Vocht
Frank de Vocht is a Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health Research and honorary Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Epidemiology at The University of Manchester, and joined the School of Social and Community Medicine and NIHR School of Public Health Research in June 2014. He obtained his PhD from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and subsequently worked at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, and the Centre for Epidemiology/Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Manchester, before coming to Bristol. His work is funded by NIHR, the European Union and several charities, and he specializes in epidemiology of lifestyle, environmental, and occupational risk factors. His research focusses on the study of modifiable risk factors, and he has a special interest in the assessment, measurement, modelling and interpretation of exposures for epidemiological research. His work to date includes work on the health effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, carcinogenic risk in various industries, the health effects of air pollution, and the use of probabilistic methodology in public health research.
ALL WELCOME