Factors Influencing Chemical Pesticide - Use Behaviours Among Maize Famers: A Cross-sectional Study of One Sub District, in Thailand
Keywords:
pesticide, agriculture, health belief model, health literacyAbstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationships and predictive factors of chemical pesticide - use behaviours among maize farmers in Saraburi province. The total of 286 participants were selected through cluster sampling. Research instruments included: 1) personal data 2) health hazard exposure 3) health literacy 4) Health Belief Model 5) chemical pesticide - use behaviours assessments. Content validity indices ranged from 0.75 to 1.00. Reliability of the health literacy, health belief model, and chemical pesticide - use behaviours were 0.82, 0.81, and 0.84, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, point biserial correlations, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regressions.
The findings revealed that 94.40%. of maize farmers demonstrated a high level of chemical pesticide-use behaviours. Personal protective equipment, health literacy, and persona health belief model were positively associated with chemical pesticide-use behaviours with statistical significance at p < .01 and p < .05. Personal protective equipment, health literacy, and health belief model were predictive factors for chemical pesticide-use behaviours were 15.40%. The results suggest that professional nurses and healthcare providers working in primary healthcare units should develop programs to enhance health literacy and strengthen health belief model constructs among maize farmers. Such programs could foster better chemical pesticide-use behaviours and help prevent pesticide-related health problems in farming communities.
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