Education for farm workers and their bosses after assessing respiratory illness should emphasize what change?

• A. Decreased use of pesticides
• B. More frequent pesticide applications
• C. Increase in outdoor work hours
• D. Regular use of dust masks only

Answer: (A)

The main idea is to reduce exposure to respiratory irritants, especially pesticides. When farm workers have respiratory illness, cutting back on pesticide use directly lowers the inhaled contaminant load and helps prevent ongoing or worsening symptoms. Safer pest management approaches, such as integrated pest management and using less hazardous products, support long-term health and reduce repeated exposures. Increasing pesticide use would raise exposure and likely worsen respiratory problems. Relying on dust masks alone isn’t enough, because masks may not provide adequate protection in all scenarios and don’t address how often or how much exposure occurs. So, the most effective shift is to decrease pesticide use and adopt safer practices to minimize inhalation risks.