The Effects of health literacy program on pesticide protection behaviors and cholinesterase levels in blood among farmers

Abstract

Purpose: To study the effects of health literacy program about pesticide prevention behaviors and cholinesterase levels in farmers.

Design: Mixed methods research

Methods: In the quantitative quasi-experimental research population were 30 farmers and qualitative data providers were 17 farmers who participated in the program. The research tools included: health literacy program, health literacy questionnaire, and GT-Pesticide residual kit. The Cranach’s alpha coefficient of the instruments revealed acceptable reliability alpha coefficient scores of 0.82-0.96. Percentages, mean, standard deviations, Pair t-test and content analysis were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data.

Results: We found the farmers had mean health literacy scores pesticide protection behaviors and mean cholinesterase levels in blood better than before the experiment statically significant at 0.01. It was found that farmers had correct and appropriate pesticide prevention behavior, which led to the decrease of cholinesterase level in blood.

Conclusion: Effects of health literacy program on decreasing of cholinesterase level in blood. It suggests that the program should be applied to farmers to help reduce or slow down the occurrence of complications.