FACTORS CORRELATED WITH HIGH HEALTH RISK ON PESTICIDES EXPOSURE AMONG HORTICULTURE FARMERS IN UPPER NORTHEAST THAILAND

Abstract

          This cross-sectional analytic study aimed to identify risk factors correlated with the high risk of pesticide exposure among horticulture farmers. There were 383 horticulture farmers in the upper northeastern of Thailand participated in this study. Data was collected by the structured questionnaire. The occupational health risk matrix was applied to assess the health risk of farmers on exposure to pesticides. The risk factors were identified by multiple logistic regression analysis. The results showed that the majority of farmers were male (87.80%) and the average age was 54 years. There were 73.17% of farmers used pesticides by their own spraying, and the health risk assessment indicated that those 8.35% had high risk on pesticide exposure. The multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the risk factors associated with the high risk of farmers were the amount of pesticide use higher than 500 cc/year ORadj=3.35; 95%CI:1.27-8.79) and low protective prevention behavior to pesticide exposure (ORadj=10.20; 95%CI:4.62-16.26) while working with pesticide which included wearing suit contaminated with pesticides. The results of this study are very useful for preventive measures and health surveillance program among horticulture farmers by promoting the less use of pesticides in farming and personal protection equipment use for spraying of pesticides.