Association between cotinine levels and the semen quality among male tobacco farmers in Sukhothai Province, Thailand

Abstract

Thai traditional tobacco is one of the greatest public health problems. Tobacco leaves contains nicotine that may impacts on the quality of life of tobacco farmers. The study aimed to explore the association of work-related factors on salivary cotinine levels and semen quality among male tobacco farmers in Sukhothai Province, Thailand. This was a longitudinal study of 62 participants aged 20-40 years without reproductive disease, chronic disease, obesity, and psychiatric disease in Sukhothai Province, Thailand. Data were collected three times during processing of cultivation tobacco growing in March to May 2022. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect on individual characteristics, work related factors and personal protective behaviors. Semen samples were used to analyze for volume, pH, viscosity, motility, morphology, and sperm count and salivary samples were used to analyze for nicotine exposure levels. Data were analyzed using the Friedman Test, Repeated-measure ANOVA and Binary logistic regression. The outcomes revealed that semen volume, pH, motility, morphology and sperm count had a significant decreased from the picking top of tobacco plants and dry curing of tobacco plants (T2) than in the picking first of tobacco plants (T1) and the end of cultivation season period while the salivary cotinine levels of male tobacco farmers in the picking top of tobacco plants and dry curing of tobacco plants (T2) were significantly higher than those of male tobacco farmers in the picking first of tobacco plants (T1) and male tobacco farmers in the end of cultivation season period (T3). Age and alcohol intake were significantly associated with salivary cotinine levels. Working experience was significantly positively associated with semen motility. Hour spent working and wearing gloves was significantly positively associated with sperm count. The study suggests that the need for public health intervention with health risk exposure to reduce farmer tobacco exposures from agricultural.