Assessment of neurobehavioral function with computerized tests in a population of Hispanic adolescents working in agriculture

In recent years there has been heightened con cern over the potential of oc cupational or environmental exposures to affect neurological function in ch ildren and adolescents. The current study was designed, to develop computer ized tests to effectively assess neurobehavioral function in Hispanic adole scents working. in agriculture and to evaluate those tests in Hispanic yout hs working in agriculture and in a non-agricultural group. After exclusions , 96 adolescents currently working in agriculture (AG) and 51 adolescents c urrently nonmigratory and not working in agriculture (Non-AG) were tested. Neurobehavioral tests were selected from the computerized Behavioral Assess ment and Research System. AG test performance was significantly below Non-A G; performance on the cognitive tests. However, educational and cultural di fferences between the AC; and Non-AG groups may explain this difference. Re peat testing of the AG group revealed substantially improved performance, f urther supporting educational or cultural differences as an explanation for the group differences. Together, these results expose the Limitations in c ase-control or cross-sectional designs for testing migrant worker populatio ns in the United States. Longitudinal or cross-sectional designs with repea t testing offer more promise and may be essential for drawing accurate conc lusions in migrant worker groups where there are no truly equivalent compar ison or control groups. (C) 2001 Academic Press.