Tobacco ​Farmers’s​Health​ Impact​ of​ Pesticide ​use​ in​Lamhuay​Lua​Sub-District,​Somdej​ District,​Kalasin​ Province

Abstract

This research was to investigate tobacco farmers’ health impact on pesticide use. Specifc objectives were to study health status of tobacco growers, pesticide use behaviors of tobacco farmers, risk factors associated with pesticide use affecting farmers’ health. The population understudy was all 55 tobacco growers at Lamhuay lua Subdistrict, Somdej District, Kalasin Province. The study method used cross-sectional survey, collecting data using
interview from and cholinesterase serum examination during cultivating and post harvest season. Data analysis use the descriptive analysis. Analyzed by percentage, mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics relationship of the enzyme cholinesterase comparison of the planting season after the planting season and the relationship of the behavior of chemical pesticides. The level of the enzyme cholinesterase with the Odds ratio. The study results found the farmers, after spraying pesticide, got symptoms 61.82% with dizziness and 56% headache, while most farmers left that for their natural body recovery. The expose pathway, 65.45% found contacting pesticide through inhalation. Only 32.89% of farmers obtained knowledge and recommendations from
agriculture offcers, and only limited to 11.04% from health offcers. Improper behavior of pesticide use, 9.09% farmers still used bare hand for pesticide preparation, 3.64% did not wash their hands before eating and drinking, of 3.64% used their mouth cleaning the nozzle. The cholinesterase examination showed farmers who sprayed pesticide had higher risk more than those who exposed by other means. The association analysis between behavioral risk factors and cholinesterase levels found that those farmers who were smoking, drinking water, and eating food during working, these were statistically signifcantly correlated with their cholinesterase values, and that posed higher risk with 12 folds compared with the undone group 95%
confdence range is between 1.32 to 145.72. Those farmers who cleaned up their body using the bored-well waters, after fnished their work, were at high risk to headache symptom 6.94 fold the 95% confdence is between 1.78 to 28.30. The study fnally pointed out that improper behavior on using pesticide of farmers led to personal health impact. The resolution to this, health offcers should conduct health surveillance and delivering knowledge for tobacco farmer groups.