Development of evidence-based methodology for ultraviolet rays on farm work by using environmental engineering in agriculture and ophthalmology

• Project/Area Number: 15K14827
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Agricultural environmental engineering/Agricultural information engineering
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Hasegawa Hideo 新潟大学, 自然科学系, 准教授 (80292514)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: 農作業 / 紫外線 / エビデンス / 農業環境・情報工学 / ウェアラブル / 防護 / 水田 / 畑作 / 湛水 / 健康

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Prolonged and repeated sun exposure induces biological effects on the skin, eye, and immune system. Outdoor workers who are cumulatively exposed to solar radiation, including agricultural workers, have high occupational risk of ultraviolet radiation-related injuries and diseases. Less attention has been paid, however, to Asians and Africans engaged in agriculture, because of the misconception that their darker skin is not susceptible to solar radiation. Although the incidence of skin cancer is lower in these populations, the risk of radiation-related health effects on the eye and immune system is independent of skin pigmentation. Here we show that rice farmers are at high radiation-related risk because of their style of rice production.

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] カセサート大学カンペンセン校農学部(タイ)
• [Int'l Joint Research] カセサート大学カンペンセン校農学部(タイ)
• [Journal Article] Pesticides Usage Behavior and Health Impact of Thai’s Farmers under Good Agricultural Practices System (2017)
  • Author(s): Tasuku Koizumi, Hideo Hasegawa and Napat Kamthonsiriwimol
  • Journal Title: Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University Volume: 69 Pages: 43-48
  • NAID: 120006761680
  • Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Farmer’s risk of ocular health problems caused by sun exposure (2017)
  • Author(s): Tasuku Koizumi, Shimpei Saito，Hideo Hasegawa
  • Organizer: The International Conference on Agricultural &Bio-system Engineering 2017，Nong Lam University Ho Chi Min city, Vietnam
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Sun Exposure and Farmers’ Health (2016)
  • Author(s): Tasuku Koizumi, Hideo Hasegawa
  • Organizer: The 8th International Symposium on Machinery and Mechatronics for Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering (ISMAB)
  • Place of Presentation: 朱鷺メッセ（新潟県・新潟市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-05-23
  • Int'l Joint Research