Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Occup Environ Med. 2017 Aug 3;75(2):79–89. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2017-104431

Table 1.

Selected characteristics of pesticide applicators at BEEA sample collection (unless noted) stratified by subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH 0.4–4.5 mIU/L or >4.5 mIU/L)

Subclinical hypothyroidism

Total
N=679
N (%)
No
N=552
N (%)
Yes
N=127
N (%)
p-valuea
Age
 50–59 254 (37.41) 210 (38.04) 44 (34.65) 0.12
 60–69 231 (34.02) 193 (34.96) 38 (29.92)
 70–79 156 (22.97) 123 (22.28) 33 (25.98)
 80+ 38 (5.60) 26 (4.71) 12 (9.45)
Raceb
 Non-Hispanic white 664 (97.80) 540 (97.80) 124 (97.60) 0.90
 Other 15 (2.20) 12 (2.20) 3 (2.40)
Stateb
 Iowa 582 (85.71) 474 (85.87) 108 (85.04) 0.81
 North Carolina 97 (14.29) 78 (14.13) 19 (14.96)
Body mass index
 Normal (<25) 118 (17.38) 97 (17.57) 21 (16.54) 0.86
 Overweight (25–29.9) 301 (44.33) 242 (43.84) 59 (46.46)
 Obese (30+) 260 (38.29) 213 (38.59) 47 (37.01)
Tobacco smokingc
 Never 407 (59.94) 325 (58.88) 82 (64.57) 0.46
 Former 230 (33.87) 191 (34.6) 39 (30.71)
 Current 42 (6.19) 36 (6.52) 6 (4.72)
Alcohol consumption (last 7 days)
 None 322 (47.42) 257 (46.56) 65 (51.18) 0.63
 <5 drinks 206 (30.34) 171 (30.98) 35 (27.56)
 5+ drinks 151 (22.24) 124 (22.46) 27 (21.26)
Educationb
 Less than high school 26 (3.83) 18 (3.26) 8 (6.3) 0.29
 High school graduate 321 (47.28) 260 (47.1) 61 (48.03)
 Vocational school/some college 157 (23.12) 133 (24.09) 24 (18.9)
 College grad 162 (23.86) 132 (23.91) 30 (23.62)
 Missing/don’t know 13 (1.91) 9 (1.63) 4 (3.15)
Raised Farm Animals in the last 12 months
 Did not farm 104 (15.32) 79 (14.31) 25 (19.69) 0.06
 No 274 (40.35) 217 (39.31) 57 (44.88)
 Yes 301 (44.33) 256 (46.38) 45 (35.43)
Applied pesticides occupationally in the last 12 months
 No 192 (28.28) 148 (26.81) 44 (34.65) 0.08
 Yes 487 (71.72) 404 (73.19) 83 (65.35)
Off-farm job in the last 12 months
 No 446 (65.68) 365 (66.12) 81 (63.78) 0.62
 Yes 233 (34.32) 187 (33.88) 46 (36.22)
Anti-TPO antibodies
 Negative 614 (90.43) 516 (93.48) 98 (77.17) <0.01
 Positive 65 (9.57) 36 (6.52) 29 (22.83)

BEEA: Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in Agriculture; TSH: Thyroid stimulating hormone

a

Chi-square test for homogeneity

b

Collected at AHS enrollment

c

Collected at the second AHS follow-up