Causal Factors of Parents Behavior on Prevent Pesticide Exposure among Children in Agricultural Areas

Abstract

The objectives of this qualitative research were to understand behaviors and causal factors of parents' behavior in preventing pesticide exposure among children aged 1-3 years in agricultural areas. Data were collected through focus group discussion to ask data from 40 parents of children aged 1-3 years in five agricultural areas of ​​Sakon Nakhon Province (8 parents per group). Data collected were then analyzed by content analysis. The results indicated that  parents’ behaviors to prevent pesticide exposure among their children were not desirable due to causal factors of parents’ behavior from intrapersonal factors, namely attitudes towards preventive behavior of pesticide exposure, subjective norms, and perceived control of preventive behavior of pesticide exposure. The findings of this study suggests that parent behavior modification program should be implemented to prevent pesticide exposure among children by considering three causal factors mentioned earlier in order to build desirable behaviors among parents and reduce illnesses due to pesticide exposure among children.