Risk Behaviors and Factors Related to Risk of Pesticides Use among Farmers in Lampataw Dam Watershade, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

The cross-sectional descriptive study aims to identify risk behaviors, risk, and factors related to the risk of pesticides use among farmers in Lampataw Dam Watershade, Chaiyaphum Province. The study was conducted from 1 January to 31 August, 2017 in 300 subjects. The data collected using the interviews adapted from farmer’s risk assessment. For the data analyzes, descriptive statistics were used to summarize the risks and risk the behaviors. The multiple logistic regression was performed to identify the factors related to risk of pesticides use. The data obtained from in-depth interviews and focus group discussion were analyzed by content analysis.The results showed that the risk behaviors of the majority of the farmers included all of the followings: herbicides use, exposure of a large amount of pesticides, wearing inappropriate personal protective equipment and long-term exposure. There were 4 level of risk: 34.3 % for middle risk; 30.0 % for low risk; 20.3% for quite high risk and 15.4% for high risk. There were 3 factors related to risk behaviors. 1) The plant type: when comparing cultivation of pineapple with other plants, it showed increased higher risk (OR = 15.36, 95%CI: 1.70-138.43, P-value = 0.015) than other planting. Cultivation of cassava alone was increased higher risk (OR= 2.81, 95%CI: 1.11-7.07, P-value=0.029) of other planting, and cultivation of cassava with another plants resulted in increased higher risk (OR = 5.77, 95%CI: 2.203-16.36, P-value = 0.015). 2) Planting time:  growing up to 26 years was increased higher risk (OR = 7.61, 95%CI: 2.62-22.08, P-value < 0.001) of those growing 1-5 years. 3) Pesticides use: planting (employment) resulted in increased higher risk (OR = 2.36, 95%CI: 1.24-4.48) of those who did not plant, and an assistant in spraying provided increased higher risk (OR = 3.19, 95%CI: 1.38-7.34) of that who was not an assistant in spraying.