آگاهي و عملكرد كشاورزان استان قم در مورد بهداشت حرفه كشاورزي در سال هاي 86-1385

Agricultural Occupational Health Knowledge and Practice of Farmers in 2007 in Qom Province

Background and objectives: Occupational health is a very important issue in all sectors and particularly agriculture. Agriculture is a potentially hazardous industry associated with many occupational injuries and illnesses. Knowledge and practice of farmers and their educational needs is essential for preparation of a suitable educational package. This study aims to determine the level of knowledge and practice of farmers in regards to the occupational health in Qom agriculture industry. Methods: Two hundred Qom farmers were randomly entered into this cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was designed for data collection and the farmers were interviewed. SPSS 11.5 was used for data analysis. Results: We found that farmers have a low level of knowledge (10%) in regard to occupational respiratory gastrointestinal and renal disorders. The lowest level of knowledge was related to the preventive measures including not blowing the nozzle of the pesticide sprayer (18%) noise reduction measures (18.5%) and application of sunscreen (20%). The most undesirable practices observed were wearing of filter mask (8%) and observance of safety measures for tractors’ driver cabin. Conclusion: Present findings suggest that farmers have inadequate knowledge in regard to occupational disorders. Therefore effective interventions to increase their level of knowledge and safety of their occupational behavior are recommended.