Vegetable Growers' Views on Pesticide Use in Greenhouse Agriculture and Evaluation of Health Literacy Status

Abstract

Aim: The study's goal was to evaluate the association between vegetable growers' opinions on pesticide use in greenhouse farming and their level of health literacy. Method: The universe of this descriptive-cross-sectional research consists of greenhouses of 10 hectares and above located in Adana Province Seyhan District. Sample selection was not made and it was aimed to reach the population. The research was completed with 335 greenhouse workers who accepted the research. Power analysis was performed to evaluate the sample size and the power of the study with the G*Power 3.0.10 program was found to be 99.5%. Introductory information form for individuals and “Adult Health Literacy Scale (YSOÖ)” were used to collect data. In analysis; “Mann-Whitney U” test (Z-table value), “Kruskal-Wallis H” test (χ2-table value) method was used. Bonferroni correction was applied for pairwise comparisons of variables with significant difference in three or more groups. The “Spearman” correlation coefficient was used for the variables that did not have a normal distribution. Results: 57.3% of the greenhouse workers participating in the research are women, 37.9% are between the ages of 18-27, 40.0% have primary school education, 65.6% have an average daily working time of 9-12 hours, It was determined that 61.8% did not have regular health check-ups, 86.6% used pesticides in the greenhouse, 55.2% were dealers where they supplied pesticides, 68.3% read the warnings on the effects of pesticides. It has been observed that the mean Adult Health Literacy Scale score is 12.86±4.25, and as health literacy increases, the rate of having regular health checks, reading pesticide labels and applying what they read increases. Conclusions and Suggestions:In this study, it was observed that the pesticide use of greenhouse workers was high (86.6%). Additionally, it was discovered that pesticide usage behaviors exhibited a favorable tendency when health literacy levels increased. Further studies with experimental designs, individual and family-oriented training programs, and qualitative research that evaluates the effectiveness of training programs applied to greenhouse workers are also recommended.

Keywords

• health literacy
• greenhouse worker
• pesticide
• occupational health
• nursing

SERA TARIMINDA SEBZE YETİŞTİRİCİLERİNİN PESTİSİT KULLANIMINA İLİŞKİN GÖRÜŞLERİ VE SAĞLIK OKURYAZARLIK DURUMUNUN DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Abstract

Amaç: Sera tarımında sebze yetiştiricilerinin pestisit kullanımına ilişkin görüşleri ile sağlık okuryazarlık durumu arasındaki ilişkinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı-kesitsel olarak yapılan bu araştırmanın evrenini Adana İli Seyhan İlçesi bölgesinde yer alan 10 hektar ve üstü seralar oluşturmaktadır. Örneklem seçimine gidilmemiş olup evrene ulaşılması hedeflenmiştir. Araştırmayı kabul eden 335 sera işçisi ile araştırma tamamlanmıştır. Örneklem büyüklüğünün değerlendirilmesi için güç analizi yapılmış ve G*Power 3.0.10 programıyla çalışmanın gücü %99.5 olarak bulunmuştur. Verilerin toplanmasında bireylerlere tanıtıcı bilgi formu ve “Yetişkin Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Ölçeği (YSOÖ)” kullanılmıştır. Analizde; “Mann-Whitney U” test (Z-tablo değeri), “Kruskal-Wallis H” test (χ2-tablo değeri) yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Üç veya daha fazla gruplarda anlamlı fark çıkan değişkenlerin ikili karşılaştırmaları için Bonferroni düzeltmesi uygulanmıştır. Normal dağılıma sahip olmayan değişkenlerde “Spearman” korelasyon katsayısı kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Araştırmaya katılan sera işçilerinin %57.3’ü kadın, %37.9’u 18-27 yaş aralığında %40.0’ının eğitim düzeyinin ilkokul, %65.6’inin günlük ortalama çalışma süresinin 9-12 saat olduğu, %61,8’nin düzenli sağlık kontrolü yaptırmadığı, %86.6’sının serada pestisit, %55.2’sinin pestisit temin ettiği yerin bayi olduğu, %68.3’nün pestisit etkilerindeki uyarıları okuduğu belirlenmiştir. Yetişkin Sağlık Okuryazarlık Ölçeği puan ortalamaları 12.86±4.25 olduğu sağlık okuryazarlık arttıkça düzenli sağlık kontrolü yaptırma, pestisit etiketlerini okuma ve okuduklarını uygulama oranının arttığı görülmüştür. Sonuçlar ve Öneriler: Bu araştırmada sera işçilerinin pestisit kullanımının yüksek olduğu (%86.6) görülmüştür. Ayrıca sağlık okuryazarlık düzeyi arttıkça pestisit kullanım davranışlarının pozitif yönde eğilim gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. Sera çalışanlarına uygulanan eğitim programların etkinliğinin değerlendirildiği nitel araştırmalar, deneysel tasarımlı ileri çalışmalar yapılması ve birey ve aile odaklı eğitim programları önerilmektedir.

Keywords

• sağlık okuryazarlık
• sera işçisi
• pestisit
• iş sağlığı
• hemşirelik

References

1. Aghilinejad, M., Farshad, A., Naghavi, M., & Haghani, H. (2006). Assessment of the relationship between pesticide and theireffects on farmerhealth in various state. Iran Occupational Health Journal, 3(1),81-85.
2. Aghilinejad, M., Mohammadi, S., & Farshad, A. (2007). Effect of pesticides on farmers' health. Journal of Research In Medical Sciences, 31(4),327-331.
3. Arcury, T.A., Estrada, J.M. & Quandt, S.A. (2010). Overcoming language and literacy barriers in safety and health training of agricultural workers. J. Agromed, 15(3),236–248.
4. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: W.H. Freeman.
5. Benek, S. (2011). Mevsimlik Tarım İşçilerinin Yaşam Koşullarına İlişkin Bir Araştırma: Hilvan İlçesi (Şanlıurfa) Örneği. Gaziantep University Journal of Social Sciences, 10 (2): 653-676
6. Bükecik, N.,Adana, F. (2021). Hastane çalışanlarının sağlık okuryazarlık düzeyleri ve ilişkili faktörler: Konya ili örneği. Caucasian Journal of Science, 8(1),1-13
7. De Jesus-Rivas, M., Conlon, H. A., & Burns, C. (2016). The impact of language and culture diversity in occupational safety. Workplace Health & Safety, 64(1), 24-27.
8. FAO. FAO In Turkey (2021). [Erişim: 25 Temmuz 2022]. Erişim adresi: http://www.fao.org/turkey/fao-in turkey/turkey-at-a-glance/en

9. Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 175-191.
10. Fenske, R. A., Hidy, A., Morris, S. L., Harrington, M. J., & Keifer, M. C. (2002). Health and safety hazards in Northwest agriculture: Setting an occupational research agenda. American journal of industrial medicine, 42(S2), 62-67.
11. FAO. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United States. (2015). The State of Food and Agriculture; Social protection and agriculture: breaking the cycle of rural poverty. Rome
12. Gaber, S., Abdel-Latif, S. H. (2012). Effect of education and health locus of control on safe use of pesticides: a cross sectional random study. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, 7(1), 1-7.
13. Ghalavandi, S., Noorivandi, AN., & Ommani, AR. (2018). Analyzing the Safety Behavioure of Summer Crop Farmers in Andimeshk Township in using Chemical Pesticides. Agricultural Extension and Education Research(Aeej), 10(4),13-22.
14. Gilder, M.E.,Moo, P.,Hashmi, A.; Praisaengdet, N.,Wai, K.,Pimanpanarak, M.,Carrara, V.I.,Angkurawaranon, C.,Jiraporncharoen, W., & McGready, R. (2019). “I can’t read and don’t understand”: Health literacy and health messaging about folic acid for neural tube defect prevention in a migrant population on the Myanmar-Thailand border. Plos one, 14(6), e0218138.
15. Hashemi, S. M., Hosseini, S. M., & Hashemi, M. K. (2012). Farmers’ perceptions of safe use of pesticides: determinants and training needs. International archives of occupational and environmental health, 85(1), 57-66.
16. Ibitayo, O. (2006). Egyptian farmers' attitudes and behaviors regarding agricultural pesticides: implications for pesticide risk communication. Risk analysis, 26(4), 989-995.
17. Jallow, M. F., Awadh, D. G., Albaho, M. S., & Devi, V. Y., Thomas, B. M. (2017). Pesticide risk behaviors and factors influencing pesticide use among farmers in Kuwait. Science of the Total Environment, 1(574), 490-498.
18. Jin, S., Bluemling, B., & Mol, A. P. (2015). Information, trust and pesticide overuse: Interactions between retailers and cotton farmers in China. NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 72(1), 23-32.
19. Khanal, G., Singh, A. (2016). Patterns of pesticide use and associated factors among the commercial farmers of Chitwan, Nepal. Environmental health insights, 10(1):1-7.
20. Koç, N., Adana, F. (2021) Perception of Health, Health Literacy Levels of Farm Labourers and Related Factors. Halk Sağlığı Hemşireliği Dergisi, 3(3), 171-183.
21. Kumari, P. L., Reddy, K. G. (2013). Knowledge and practices of safety use of pesticides among farm workers. J Agr Veter Sci, 6(2), 1-8.
22. Mancuso, J. M. (2009). Assessment and measurement of health literacy: an integrative review of the literature. Nursing & health sciences, 11(1), 77-89.
23. Mills, P. K.,Kwong, S. (2001). Cancer incidence in the United Farmworkers of America (UFW), 1987–1997. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 40(5), 596-603.
24. Mines, R., Mullenax, N., & Saca, L. (2001). The binational farmworker health survey: An in-depth study of agricultural worker health in Mexico and the United States. The California Institute for Rural Studies.
25. Montgomery, H., Morgan, S., Srithanaviboonchai, K., Ayood, P., Siviroj, P., & Wood, M. (2020). Correlates of health literacy among farmers in Northern Thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(19), 7071.
26. Nilnate, W., Hengpraprom, S.,& Hanvoravongchai, P. (2016). Level of health literacy in Thai elders, Bangkok, Thailand. Journal of Health Research, 30(5), 315-321.
27. Oluwole, O., Cheke, R. A. (2009). Health and environmental impacts of pesticide use practices: a case study of farmers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 7(3), 153-163.
28. Palumbo, R., Annarumma, C., Adinolfi, P., Musella, M., & Piscopo, G. (2016). The Italian Health Literacy Project: Insights from the assessment of health literacy skills in Italy. Health Policy, 120(9), 1087-1094.
29. Perry, M. J.,Layde, P. M. (2003). Farm pesticides: outcomes of a randomized controlled intervention to reduce risks. American journal of preventive medicine, 24(4), 310-315.
30. Pobhirun, T.,Pinitsoontorn, S. (2019). The association between health literacy and pesticide use behaviors among sweet corn farmers in the Pak Chong district of Thailand: a cross-sectional study. F1000Research, 11 (8),448.
31. Recena, M. C. P., Caldas, E. D., Pires, D. X., & Pontes, E. R. J. (2006). Pesticides exposure in Culturama, Brazil—knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Environmental research, 102(2), 230-236.
32. Reeves, M.,Schafer, K. S. (2003). Greater risks, fewer rights: US farmworkers and pesticides. International journal of occupational and environmental health, 9(1), 30-39.
33. Sağlık Bakanlığı Sağlığın Geliştirilmesi Genel Müdürlüğü (2020). [Erişim: 15 Haziran2022]. Erişim adresi: https://sggm.saglik.gov.tr/TR,57003/turkiyenin-saglik-okuryazarligi-duzeyi-olculdu.html#
34. Sandberg, J. C., Spears Johnson, C. R., Nguyen, H. T., Talton, J. W., Quandt, S. A., Chen, H., & Summers P,Arcury, T. A. (2016). Mobile and traditional modes of communication among male Latino farmworkers: implications for health communication and dissemination. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 18(3), 522-531.
35. Sezer, A., Kadıoğlu, H. (2014). Yetişkin Sağlik Okuryazarliği Ölçeği’nin Geliştirilmesi. Anadolu Hemşirelik ve Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 17(3), 165-170.
36. Sorensen, K., Van den Broucke, S., Fullam, J., Doyle, G., Pelikan, J., Slonska, Z., & Brand, H. (2012). Health literacy and public health: a systematic review and integration of definitions and models. BMC public health, 12(1), 1-13.
37. Strijbos, R. M., Hinnen, J. W., van den Haak, R. F., Verhoeven, B. A., & Koning, O. H. (2018). Inadequate health literacy in patients with arterial vascular disease. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 56(2), 239-245.
38. Şahin, G., Uskun, E., Ay, R., & Öğüt, S. (2010). Elma Yetiştiriciliği Alanında Çalışanların Tarım İlaçları Konusunda Bilgi, Tutum ve Davranışları. TAF Prev Med Bull, 9(6), 633-644
39. Tanrıöver MD., Yıldırım H., Ready ND., Çakır B., & Akalın E. (2014).Türkiye Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Araştırması. Ankara: Sağlık-Sen Yayınları. s.64-65.
40. Tay, J. L., Tay, Y. F., & Klainin-Yobas, P. (2018).Mental health literacy levels. Archieves of Psychiatric Nursing. 32(5),757-763
41. Wang, X.,Guo, H.,Wang, L.,Li, X.,Huang, M.,Liu, Z.; Liu, X.,Wang, K.; Alamian, A., & Anderson, J.L. (2015). Investigation of residents’ health literacy status and its risk factors in Jiangsu Province of China. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 27(2), NP2764-72.
42. World Health Organization. (2012). Health literacyand health behavior. 7th Global Conference on Health Promotion,
43. World Health Organization. Chemical safety: Pesticides (2020). [Erişim: 20 Temmuz 2022]. Erişim adresi: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/chemical-safety-pesticides
44. Yılmaz, M., Tiraki, Z. (2016). Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Nedir? Nasıl Ölçülür? Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi, 9(4), 142-147.
45. Yilmaz, H. (2015). Analysis in terms of environmental awareness of farmers’ decisions and attitudes in pesticide use: the case of Turkey. Bulgarian Chemical Communications, 47(3), 771-775.
46. Zahm, S. H., Blair, A. (1993). Cancer among migrant and seasonal farmworkers: an epidemiologic review and research agenda. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 24(6), 753-766.
47. Zyoud, S. E. H., Sawalha, A. F., Sweileh, W. M., Awang, R., Al-Khalil, S. I., Al-Jabi, S. W., & Bsharat, N. M. (2010). Knowledge and practices of pesticide use among farm workers in the West Bank, Palestine: safety implications. Environmental health and preventive medicine, 15(4), 252-261.