Knowledge and Behavior regarding use of pesticide among paid pesticide sprayers

Abstract

             The trend of pesticides uses in Thailand has been rising continuously and has affected the health of agricultural workers for a long time, making new-generation agricultural workers decide to hire informal workers to perform the pesticides spraying process instead. Therefore, paid pesticide sprayers have become a group of people who were at risk of exposure to the chemicals. This research study was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in Phi-chai district, Uttaradit province. The objectives of were to study the behavior regarding the use of pesticides and to compare the scores of pesticide use behaviors classified by various factors among paid pesticide sprayers whose experiences in spraying were less than 10 years as a new-faced paid pesticide sprayers. The data were collected by interviewing using questionnaires from 202 paid pesticide sprayers. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, independent’s t-test, One-Way ANOVA and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient.

            The study found that the paid pesticide sprayers’ knowledge regarding the use of pesticides was in the moderate level (63.9 %) and their behavior regarding the use of pesticides was in the moderate level (58.9 %). The results to compare the scores of pesticide use behaviors classified by various factors showed that the level of education had a significant difference (P-value < 0.05). Therefore, relevant agencies should provide training and raise awareness of pesticide sprayers to use and protect themselves from pesticides which will result in appropriate behavioral modifications in the use of pesticides and the reduction of health effects from exposure to pesticides.