Hailay Abrha Gesesew|Kifle Woldemichael|Desalegn Massa|Lillian Mwanri
Farmers Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Health Problems Associated with Pesticide Use in Rural Irrigation Villages, Southwest Ethiopia
Jimma University|Flinders University|Jimma University|Jimma University|Flinders University
ethiopia pesticides widely used variety purposes occurrence contamination poisoning farmers highly reported due unsafe handling practices usage assessed knowledge attitudes experiences previous pesticide exposure related health problems among farmers use irrigation jimma zone southwest ethiopiaa community based crosssectional study conducted among farmers living zone respondents 796 irrigation farmers 20 kebeles lowest administration unit jimma zone data collected using pretested structured questionnaire via facetoface interviews descriptive inferential statistics analysis performed binary logistic regression used identify factors associated attitudes farmers towards safe use pesticides p value 005 final modelamong participants 544 95ci 50758 knew least one pesticide control method 537 positive attitudes towards safe use pesticide mean score attitudes found 3904 knowledge including following names pesticides aor 041 95ci 025067 methods pest control use gloves pesticide exposure aor 152 95ci 107216 found independent predictor farmers attitudes safe use pesticides past exposure pesticide reported 896 farmers participants reported ingestion 889 inhalation 904 possible mechanisms pesticide exposure nearly 42 farmers never used personal protective equipment ppe protect pesticide exposure farmers reported several health complications perceived complications pesticide exposure including headache nausea vomiting skin rash irritation abdominal painthe study exposed existence high probability pesticide exposure low safe use pesticide low use ppe however farmers positive attitudes towards safe use pesticides findings appeal development effective public health strategies improve farmers awareness safe use ppe addition need inform farmers integrated pest management prevent severe health complications may occur result unsafe inappropriate use pesticides