pesticide use behaviour and potential health risks among pesticide applicators in kuttanad area ...

100 Pages·2015·4.48 MB·English

PESTICIDE USE BEHAVIOUR AND POTENTIAL HEALTH
RISKS AMONG PESTICIDE APPLICATORS IN
KUTTANAD AREA, KERALA, INDIA

JASMINE JOMICHEN
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirement for the award of
Master of Public Health

ACHUTHA MENON CENTRE FOR HEALTH SCIENCE STUDIES
SREE CHITRA TIRUNAL INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY
Trivandrum, Kerala

October 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to thank God almighty who blessed and enabled
me to complete my research work.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude and indebtedness to my guide,
Dr. Manju R Nair for her invaluable suggestions and supervision throughout my
dissertation work. I would also like to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Sankara
Sarma who cleared my doubts in statistics and gave advice for my work. I want to thank
all the other faculty members who guided me during the two years of study in AMCHSS.
I take this opportunity to thank Dr TK Joshi, Director, COEH, New Delhi
for his suggestions given for the thesis work. I would like to acknowledge Dr. P Indira
Devi, Director, Centre of Excellence in Environmental Economics, Thrissur for help in
obtaining information related to pesticides and also for her expert guidance. I would also
like to thank Dr. Mohammed Asheel who helped me for literature search related to
pesticide and its health effects.
I am immensely grateful to my father, whose inspiring attitude helped me throughout the
data collection of my thesis work. Without his guidance and ceaseless encouragement, this
dissertation would not have been possible. I am also thankful to my family members and
friends – Joanna Sara Valson, Dona George, Minu Abraham and Peeyush for their love
and encouragement in the course of study. Lastly, I would like to present my heartiest
gratitude to all the pesticide applicators who agreed to participate in the study.

Jasmine Jomichen
October 2014

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this dissertation titled “Pesticide use behaviour and
potential health risks among pesticide applicators in Kuttanad area,
Kerala, India” is the bonafide record of my original field research. It has not
been submitted to any other university or institution for the award of any
degree or diploma. Information derived from the published or unpublished
work of others has been duly acknowledged in the text.

JASMINE JOMICHEN
Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology
Trivandrum, Kerala
October 2014

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CERTIFICATE

Certified that the dissertation entitled “Pesticide use behaviour and
potential health risks among pesticide applicators in Kuttanad area,
Kerala, India” is a record of the research work undertaken by Ms. Jasmine
Jomichen in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the
degree of “Master of Public Health” under my guidance and supervision.

DR. MANJU R NAIR
Scientist C
Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology
Trivandrum, Kerala
October 2014

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Table of contents

Content Page no:

Acknowledgement…………………………………………………….. ii
List of tables and figures……………………………………………… v
Glossary of abbreviation……………………………………………… vii
Abstract................................................................................................ viii
CHAPTER -1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background................................................................................. 2
1.2 Pesticide poisoning burden: global context.............................. 3
1.3 Pesticide use in developing countries.......................................... 3
1.4 Indian context................................................................................ 4
1.5 Kerala context............................................................................... 5
CHAPTER -2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Acute pesticide poisoning............................................................. 6
2.2 Chronic effects of pesticides......................................................... 7
2.3 Classification of pesticides........................................................... 7
2.4 Integrated pest management strategy........................................ 8
2.5 Occupational pesticide exposure................................................. 8
2.6 Measurement of pesticide exposure............................................ 9
2.7 Factors that affect the use of pesticide
2.7.1 Knowledge about pesticide.......................................................... 9
2.7.2 Perception about pesticide risk.................................................... 10
2.7.3 Safe work behaviour
2.7.3.1 Personal protective behaviour.................................................. 10
2.7.3.2 Storage practice......................................................................... 10
2.7.3.3 Disposal of empty containers.................................................... 11
2.7.3.4 Pesticide mixing behaviour....................................................... 11
2.7.3.5 Personal hygiene and sanitation practices................................ 11
2.7.3.6 Nature of work.......................................................................... 12
2.8 Objectives of the study................................................................... 13
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2.9 Rationale of the study..................................................................... 13

CHAPTER -3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study design..................................................................................... 14
3.2 Study setting.................................................................................... 14
3.3 Study population............................................................................. 14
3.4 Inclusion criteria............................................................................. 14
3.5 Exclusion criteria............................................................................ 15
3.6 Sample size...................................................................................... 15
3.7 Sample selection procedure........................................................... 15
3.8 Data collection procedure.............................................................. 15
3.9 Data collection process................................................................... 16
3.10 Variables under the study
3.10.1 Definition of the variable............................................................. 17
3.10.2 Operational definition.................................................................. 17
3.10.3 Outcome variable......................................................................... 18
3.10.4 Predictor variable definitions....................................................... 18
3.11 Plan for dissemination.................................................................. 20
3.12 Data storage and data cleaning................................................... 20
3.13 Data analysis and statistical methods......................................... 21
3.14 Expected outcomes........................................................................ 21
3.15 Ethical considerations.................................................................... 21
CHAPTER -4 RESULTS
4.1 Profile of the study population.......................................................... 22
4.2 Occupational characteristics............................................................. 23
4.3 Pesticides used.................................................................................... 25
4.4 Mixing of pesticides............................................................................ 26
4.5 Source of knowledge about spraying................................................ 27
4.6 Knowledge about colour code and hazard symbol.......................... 28
4.7 Perception about health risks............................................................ 29
4.8 Pesticide use practice......................................................................... 29
4.9 Personal protective behaviour.......................................................... 31
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4.10 Personal hygiene and sanitation practices..................................... 34
4.11 Co-morbidities.................................................................................. 34
4.12Acute pesticide poisoning.................................................................. 35
4.13 Bivariate results................................................................................
4.13.1 Bivariate analysis of socio demographic characteristics with APP. 37
4.13.2 Bivariate analysis of pesticides used associated with APP............. 38
4.13.3 Bivariate analysis of pesticide mixing behaviour with APP........... 39
4.13.4 Bivariate analysis of personal protective equipments with APP..... 39
4.13.5 Bivariate analysis of personal hygiene and sanitation practices
with APP..................................................................................................... 40
CHAPTER -5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
5.1 Socio demographic characteristics.................................................. 46
5.2 Work characteristics.......................................................................... 46
5.3 Pesticides use behaviour..................................................................... 47
5.4 Storage of pesticide containers.......................................................... 48
5.5 Spraying equipment........................................................................... 48
5.6 Mixing of pesticide ingredients.......................................................... 49
5.7 Disposal of empty containers............................................................. 49
5.8 Timing of spraying............................................................................. 50
5.9 Knowledge about spraying
5.9.1 Knowledge about colour code and hazard symbol........................... 50
5.9.2 Reading labels on pesticide package................................................. 51
5.9.3 Source of information........................................................................ 52
5.9.4 Training............................................................................................. 53
5.10 Perception about health risks.......................................................... 53
5.11 Personal protective behaviour......................................................... 54
5.12 Chronic morbidities.......................................................................... 54
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5.13 Personal hygiene and sanitation practices..................................... 55
5.14 Acute pesticide poisoning................................................................. 56
5.15 Strengths of the study...................................................................... 56
5.16 Limitations of the study................................................................... 57
5.17 Conclusion......................................................................................... 57
5.18 Policy implications............................................................................ 58
REFERENCES........................................................................................ 59
ANNEXURES
Annexure I
Annexure II
Annexure III
Annexure IV
Annexure V

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List of tables

Table no: Heading Page no:

3.9 Summary of the final sample recruitment process............................. 17
4.1 Profile of the study population.......................................................... 23
4.2 Occupational characteristics of the study population....................... 24
4.3 Pesticides used................................................................................. 25
4.4 Mixing of pesticide contents............................................................. 27
4.5 Source of knowledge about spraying and training........................... 28
4.6 Knowledge about colour code and hazard symbol........................... 28
4.7 Perception about health risks............................................................ 29
4.8 Pesticide use practice........................................................................ 30
4.9.1 Personal protective behaviour.......................................................... 32
4.9.2 Reason for non-compliance towards protective measures............... 33
4.10 Personal hygiene and sanitation practices........................................ 34
4.11 Co – morbidities............................................................................... 35
4.12.1 Acute pesticide poisoning................................................................. 35
4.12.2 Signs and symptoms reported........................................................... 36
4.13.1 Bivariate analysis of socio demographic characteristics with APP... 37
4.13.2 Bivariate analysis of pesticides used with APP............................... 38
4.13.3 Bivariate analysis of pesticide mixing behaviour with APP............. 39
4.13.4 Bivariate analysis of personal protective equipments with APP....... 40
4.13.5 Bivariate analysis of personal hygiene and sanitation practices with
APP.................................................................................................... 40

viii
List of figures
Figure no: Heading Page no:

3.2 Map of Kuttanad...................................................................... 14
4.3 Chemical nature of pesticides used by the applicators............ 26
4.14.1 Spraying equipment................................................................ 41
4.14.2 Pesticide mixing behaviour.................................................... 41
4.14.3 Personal protective behaviour............................................... 43
4.14.4 Disposal of empty containers................................................ 43
4.14.5 Storage of pesticides............................................................. 44
4.14.6 Personal hygiene and sanitation practices............................ 44
4.14.7 Source of information........................................................... 45
5.9.1 WHO Colour codes and hazard symbol................................ 51

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