Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai Farmers

The present study aims to assess health impacts on pesticide use in 136 farmers from Baan Mai Ras Bam Rung Village, San Kong Subdistrict, Dok Kham Tai District, Phayao. Questionnaire and laboratory examination were used as tools. Pesticide use in questionnaire consisted of objectives, type and reas...

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Main Authors: Ratana Sapbamrer, Arrak Damrongsat, Prajak Kongtan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Environmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University 2013-06-01
Series:Applied Environmental Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ph01-ohno.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer/article/view/9715
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author Ratana Sapbamrer
Arrak Damrongsat
Prajak Kongtan
author_facet Ratana Sapbamrer
Arrak Damrongsat
Prajak Kongtan
author_sort Ratana Sapbamrer
collection DOAJ
description The present study aims to assess health impacts on pesticide use in 136 farmers from Baan Mai Ras Bam Rung Village, San Kong Subdistrict, Dok Kham Tai District, Phayao. Questionnaire and laboratory examination were used as tools. Pesticide use in questionnaire consisted of objectives, type and reasons of pesticide use, prevention practices from exposure, etc. Health impacts questionnaire included physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. The results showed that most farmers planted rice crop and the major pesticide use was insecticides (79.4 %), followed by herbicides, fungicides, and acaricides, respectively (78.7, 40.4 and 33.1 %). The reasons for the use were that facing problem of insect and blight (86.8%), requiring good product appearance (68.4 %). The exposure prevention found most farmers (97.1 %) wore long sleeve shirts and long trousers. Impact on physical health, major symptoms were fatigue (48.5 %), parched trachea (44.9 %), headache (40.4 %), dizziness (36.8 %), and numbness (29.4 %), respectively. The average of acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE), as an indicator of organophosphate and carbamate exposure, were 6,4161,443 μg L-1. Regarding determination of cholinesterase activity by rapid test from The Government Pharmaceutical Organization, 23.5 % of farmers had pesticide residues in serum at safe level, 55.1 % at risk level, and 21.3% at unsafe level. Impact on mental, social, and spiritual health found 86.8 % worried about effect on health and to the environment, 27.9 % concerned regarding decreased local knowledge, and 57.4 % planted organic crops for their own consumption. The relationship between AChE activity and preventive practices was negative (r = -0.172, p = 0.040). The appropriate prevention from the pesticide impact was reduced exposure.
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spelling doaj.art-9928d7ddc66a40a1bd0191b55b6b98142022-12-22T04:01:11ZengEnvironmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn UniversityApplied Environmental Research2287-07412287-075X2013-06-01331Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai FarmersRatana Sapbamrer0Arrak Damrongsat1Prajak Kongtan2School of Medicine, Phayao University, Phayao, ThailandElectricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Northeastern Region Operation Division, Khonkaen, ThailandBaan Tham Primary Care Unit, Dok Kham Tai, Phayao, Thailand The present study aims to assess health impacts on pesticide use in 136 farmers from Baan Mai Ras Bam Rung Village, San Kong Subdistrict, Dok Kham Tai District, Phayao. Questionnaire and laboratory examination were used as tools. Pesticide use in questionnaire consisted of objectives, type and reasons of pesticide use, prevention practices from exposure, etc. Health impacts questionnaire included physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. The results showed that most farmers planted rice crop and the major pesticide use was insecticides (79.4 %), followed by herbicides, fungicides, and acaricides, respectively (78.7, 40.4 and 33.1 %). The reasons for the use were that facing problem of insect and blight (86.8%), requiring good product appearance (68.4 %). The exposure prevention found most farmers (97.1 %) wore long sleeve shirts and long trousers. Impact on physical health, major symptoms were fatigue (48.5 %), parched trachea (44.9 %), headache (40.4 %), dizziness (36.8 %), and numbness (29.4 %), respectively. The average of acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE), as an indicator of organophosphate and carbamate exposure, were 6,4161,443 μg L-1. Regarding determination of cholinesterase activity by rapid test from The Government Pharmaceutical Organization, 23.5 % of farmers had pesticide residues in serum at safe level, 55.1 % at risk level, and 21.3% at unsafe level. Impact on mental, social, and spiritual health found 86.8 % worried about effect on health and to the environment, 27.9 % concerned regarding decreased local knowledge, and 57.4 % planted organic crops for their own consumption. The relationship between AChE activity and preventive practices was negative (r = -0.172, p = 0.040). The appropriate prevention from the pesticide impact was reduced exposure. https://ph01-ohno.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer/article/view/9715Health impact assessment (HIA)PesticideFarmersAcetylcholinesterase activity (AChE)
spellingShingle Ratana Sapbamrer
Arrak Damrongsat
Prajak Kongtan
Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai Farmers
Applied Environmental Research
Health impact assessment (HIA)
Pesticide
Farmers
Acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE)
title Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai Farmers
title_full Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai Farmers
title_fullStr Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai Farmers
title_full_unstemmed Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai Farmers
title_short Health Impact Assessment of Pesticide Use in Northern Thai Farmers
title_sort health impact assessment of pesticide use in northern thai farmers
topic Health impact assessment (HIA)
Pesticide
Farmers
Acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE)
url https://ph01-ohno.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer/article/view/9715
work_keys_str_mv AT ratanasapbamrer healthimpactassessmentofpesticideuseinnorthernthaifarmers
AT arrakdamrongsat healthimpactassessmentofpesticideuseinnorthernthaifarmers
AT prajakkongtan healthimpactassessmentofpesticideuseinnorthernthaifarmers