Online Program

276624
A quantitative analysis of the characteristics of pesticide use among colombian agricultural workers


Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 2:50 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.

Ysabel Polanco, MD, MA. PhD, Department of preventive medicine and public health, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
Barbara Curbow, PhD, Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Juan Carlos Salazar, PhD, Escuela de EstadĂ­stica, Associate Professor Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Sede MedellĂ­n. ., Medellin, Colombia
The campesino agricultural communities in Colombia are vulnerable in many domains (economic, health) and they remain a crucial target population for medical and public health studies. Campesinos are at a high risk of occupational hazards, such as those derived from pesticide use and exposure. This study focused on individual factors that influence pesticide use and exposure. I collected 79 questionnaires with adult (male and female) rural agricultural campesinos in San Cristobal, Antioquia, Colombia. We examined campesinos' perceptions on pesticides' harm for human health and the environment, as well as beliefs, attitudes, perceived control and perceived confidence related to pesticide use. The findings differed between two campesino groups sampled: pesticide users and agroecological adherents. Pesticide users experienced lower perceptions of pesticide harm for human health and the environment, lower perceived control about stopping pesticide use (an increase in one unit in control decreases the logit of using pesticides by 74%), and lower confidence about stopping pesticide use than agroecological adherents (an increase in one unit in confidence decreases the logit of using pesticides by 64%). We discuss individual influences on occupational safety and health and recommend that future public health and educational interventions should improve safety training and confidence so campesinos can gain control of the process for implementing behavioral change related to pesticide use reduction.

Learning Areas:

Environmental health sciences
Occupational health and safety
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Analyze the characteristics of agricultural workers in relation to pesticide use in Colombia, specifically control and confidence.

Keyword(s): Occupational Exposure, Pesticides

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator in this paper because it is the product of my dissertation research. I created the project with the advise of my mento, I collected the data and I analyzed it completely with the help of the coauthors. Among my scientific interest has been the development of trategies for improving the work conditions of agricultural workers in Colombia
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.