Geographies of Exposure: Exploring the link between County-Level Land Use, Population, and Acute Pesticide Illness from Drift in Washington State (2013–2024)
Faculty Mentor
Erin Dascher
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-14-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-14-2026 4:00 PM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Geosciences
Abstract
Globally, pesticides are persistent environmental contaminants linked to chronic health risks, including disruption of the blood–brain barrier, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, dopaminergic neuron damage, and neurodegenerative disease (Sharma et al., 2024). Although ingestion of contaminated food and water is the primary exposure pathway, residential proximity to agricultural areas can also lead to household contamination through pesticide drift. This study examines whether county-level spatial patterns of population, land use, and crop type are associated with the average annual reported acute pesticide illness (API) in Washington State. Average county populations from 2013–2024 were calculated using American Community Survey (ACS) data for Washington’s 29 counties. Percent land cover and land-use types were derived from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and Washington State Department of Agriculture Agricultural Land Use data were used to calculate the percentage of land devoted specifically to orchards. Spearman’s correlation assessed whether variables were significantly correlated. A weighted least squares regression then tested whether the percentages of specific land-use types (urban, orchards, cultivated crops) and a county’s metro or non-metro population designation significantly predicted API. The regression model, API = −0.017 + (3.589*Orchards%) − (0.004*CultivatedCrops%), was statistically significant (R² = 0.984, F(4,34) = 523.2, p < 0.001). Orchard land use (B = 3.589, SE = 0.109, β = 1.004, p < 0.001) and cultivated crops (B = −0.004, SE < 0.001, β = −0.313, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of API. Increased orchard land use was associated with higher API, whereas greater percentages of cultivated crop land corresponded with slightly lower API. This relationship may indicate the importance of proximity, as counties with extensive cultivated crop area may represent lower population densities and greater distances between residential and agricultural areas. Further analysis of population pattern dynamics may yield additional insights into API risk factors and reduction strategies for Washington counties and communities.
Recommended Citation
Richards, Jazmine, "Geographies of Exposure: Exploring the link between County-Level Land Use, Population, and Acute Pesticide Illness from Drift in Washington State (2013–2024)" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 18.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/ps_2026/p3_2026/18
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Geographies of Exposure: Exploring the link between County-Level Land Use, Population, and Acute Pesticide Illness from Drift in Washington State (2013–2024)
PUB NCR
Globally, pesticides are persistent environmental contaminants linked to chronic health risks, including disruption of the blood–brain barrier, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, dopaminergic neuron damage, and neurodegenerative disease (Sharma et al., 2024). Although ingestion of contaminated food and water is the primary exposure pathway, residential proximity to agricultural areas can also lead to household contamination through pesticide drift. This study examines whether county-level spatial patterns of population, land use, and crop type are associated with the average annual reported acute pesticide illness (API) in Washington State. Average county populations from 2013–2024 were calculated using American Community Survey (ACS) data for Washington’s 29 counties. Percent land cover and land-use types were derived from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and Washington State Department of Agriculture Agricultural Land Use data were used to calculate the percentage of land devoted specifically to orchards. Spearman’s correlation assessed whether variables were significantly correlated. A weighted least squares regression then tested whether the percentages of specific land-use types (urban, orchards, cultivated crops) and a county’s metro or non-metro population designation significantly predicted API. The regression model, API = −0.017 + (3.589*Orchards%) − (0.004*CultivatedCrops%), was statistically significant (R² = 0.984, F(4,34) = 523.2, p < 0.001). Orchard land use (B = 3.589, SE = 0.109, β = 1.004, p < 0.001) and cultivated crops (B = −0.004, SE < 0.001, β = −0.313, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of API. Increased orchard land use was associated with higher API, whereas greater percentages of cultivated crop land corresponded with slightly lower API. This relationship may indicate the importance of proximity, as counties with extensive cultivated crop area may represent lower population densities and greater distances between residential and agricultural areas. Further analysis of population pattern dynamics may yield additional insights into API risk factors and reduction strategies for Washington counties and communities.
