Agricultural chemical use and cancer mortality in selected rural counties in the U.S.A.

Abstract The relationship between agricultural chemical use and five major , categories of cancer is examined for a sample of rural U.S. counties. County acreages treated with insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers are the variables of primary analytic interest. Findings suggest that agricultural chemical use is related to county cancer mortality. For three of the five categories of cancer included, agricultural chemical use was the best predictor of cancer mortality. Although limitations common to ecological analyses require caution in interpreting results, the findings are highly suggestive of the need for additional research on possible links between agricultural chemical use and county cancer mortality.

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