Integrated Pest Management for Pesticide Exposure

Overseen By Abbey Alkon, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Disqualifiers: Non-English/Spanish speakers

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

30 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices for reducing pesticide exposure?

Research shows that Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices can effectively reduce pesticide exposure. For example, a study in New York City found that IPM significantly decreased cockroach infestations in homes, and another study in Illinois childcare centers showed that IPM training improved pest control practices, reducing children's exposure to harmful pesticides. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Integrated Pest Management (IPM) generally safe for humans?

IPM aims to reduce human health risks from pesticides, and data from programs in Arizona and California show low pesticide risk to consumers and decreased pesticide levels in the environment. However, the safety of natural insecticides used in IPM can vary, with some being toxic and causing adverse effects in animals. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

How does the treatment Integrated Pest Management (IPM) differ from other treatments for pesticide exposure?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is unique because it combines conventional pesticides with nonchemical methods to control pests, reducing the need for harmful chemicals. This approach is more environmentally friendly and focuses on minimizing pesticide exposure, especially in sensitive populations like children and pregnant women. ^{1 2 6 7 10}

What is the purpose of this trial?

Child Care Health Consultants will provide an integrated pest management (IPM) intervention for \~30 family child care home directors. The intervention will include an educational component, collecting carpet dust samples, reporting back the pesticides identified in the carpet, and 7-monthly consultations to identify ways to reduce their exposure to pesticides and lower their long term health risks.

Research Team

Abbey Alkon, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for directors of family child care homes with 5+ children in select California counties, who plan to keep their facility open for at least a year. Participants must be able to read or speak English or Spanish.

Inclusion Criteria

Director of a family child care home with 5 or more children in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, or Fresno County in California

Plan to stay open for at least 12 months

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Baseline interviews and environmental assessments are conducted with family child care home directors

1 month

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

IPM educational meeting, distribution of IPM toolkit, and six monthly consultations to improve IPM practices and reduce pesticide use

7 months

7 visits (in-person)

Report-Back

Results of pesticide detection in carpet dust are shared with directors using DERBI

1 month

1 visit (virtual)

Follow-up

Post-intervention interviews and assessments to evaluate changes in IPM practices and pesticide use

3 months

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Integrated pest management (IPM) practices

Trial Overview The study tests an integrated pest management (IPM) intervention involving education, carpet dust sample analysis, and monthly consultations aimed at reducing pesticide exposure in child care settings.

Participant Groups

Group I: Integrated Pest Management and Report Pesticide Exposure Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Provide integrated pest management (IPM) toolkit and results of dust sample identifying pesticide exposure.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,636

Recruited

19,080,000+

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

Collaborator

Trials

294

Recruited

1,233,000+

Findings from Research

A study involving 131 families in East Harlem showed that an individually tailored Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach significantly reduced cockroach infestations from 80.5% to 39.0% over 6 months, while the control group saw no significant change.

The cost of implementing this tailored IPM was equal to or lower than traditional chemical pest control methods, highlighting its effectiveness and cost-efficiency in urban settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrated pest management in an urban community: a successful partnership for prevention. Brenner, BL., Markowitz, S., Rivera, M., et al.[2018]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An intervention to reduce residential insecticide exposure during pregnancy among an inner-city cohort. [2022]

2. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of integrated pest management (IPM) training on reducing pesticide exposure in Illinois childcare centers. [2010]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reducing pesticide exposure and associated neurotoxic burden in an Ecuadorian small farm population. [2016]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Measuring IPM Impacts in California and Arizona. [2020]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrated pest management in an urban community: a successful partnership for prevention. [2018]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrated pest management policies in America's schools: is federal legislation needed? [2010]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrated Pest Management Intervention in Child Care Centers Improves Knowledge, Pest Control, and Practices. [2018]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety of Natural Insecticides: Toxic Effects on Experimental Animals. [2019]

9. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrated fly management in European ruminant operations from the perspective of directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable use of pesticides. [2022]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrated pest management. [2018]