The large-scale use of agrochemicals has raised environmental and human health concerns. A comprehensive intervention strategy for improving agrochemical safety among rice farmers in Thailand is lacking. The objective of this study is to develop a model in order to improve farmers’ health and prevent them from being exposed to agrochemical hazards, in addition to evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention in terms of agrochemical safety. This study was conducted between October 2009 and January 2011. It measures changes in the mean scores of agrochemical knowledge, health beliefs, agrochemical use behaviors, and in-home pesticide safety. Knowledge of agrochemical use constitutes a basic knowledge of agrochemicals and agrochemical safety behaviors. Health beliefs constitute perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers to using agrochemicals. Agrochemical use behaviors include self-care practices in terms of personal health at specific times including before spraying, while spraying, during storage, transportation, waste management, and health risk management. Fifty rice farmers from Khlong Seven Community (study group) and 51 rice farmers from Bueng Ka Sam community (control group) were randomly recruited with support from community leaders. The participants were involved in a combination of home visits (ie, pesticide safety assessments at home) and community participatory activities regarding agrochemical safety. This study reveals that health risk behaviors regarding agrochemical exposure in the study area are mainly caused by lack of attention to safety precautions and the use of faulty protective gear. After 6 months, the intervention program showed significant improvements in the overall scores on knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, and home pesticide safety in the study group (P < 0.05). Therefore, this intervention model is effective in improving agrochemical safety behaviors among Khlong Seven Community rice farmers. These findings demonstrate that a multi-approach model for improving agrochemical safety behaviors can lead to sustainable prevention of agrochemical hazards for farmers.

The study objective was to evaluate health beliefs and behaviors associated with agrochemical exposure among rice farmers. We applied the Health Belief Model, community-based ethnography, and public health risk assessment for this study. Data were collected from 101 rice farmers in Khlong Seven community between January and June 2010. Data comprised observations, unstructured and semistructured interviews, and focus group discussions. We showed that farmers had moderate levels of perceived susceptibility to, severity of, benefits of, and barriers to using agrochemicals safely. The major risk factors related to agrochemical exposure resulted from the misuse of pesticides, including erroneous beliefs of farmers regarding pesticide toxicity, the use of faulty spraying equipment, the lack of proper maintenance of spraying equipment, or the lack of protective gear and appropriate clothing. An intervention program is necessary to improve safety with regard to agrochemicals in the rice Khlong Seven community.

Pesticide exposure is one of the most important occupational risks in Thailand. A specific community based participatory model to reduce pesticide risk behaviors among rubber farmers in the Southern of Thailand remains limited. The study objectives were: (1) to develop community based participatory model to reduce pesticide risk behaviors among rubber farmers; and (2) to evaluate their knowledge, health beliefs and behaviors related pesticide use. Data collection from seventy one rubber farmers in 8 villages of Khogyang community was completed by focus group discussions, observation, and in-depth interviews. This study was conducted in Khogyang community, Trang, Thailand between December 2012 and March 2013. The contents of the Khogyang community based participatory model included: (1) pesticide safety education delivery at home; and (2) community-based participatory action activities addressed pesticide safety behaviors (pesticide safety behaviors drawing contest; pesticide safety community forums; and Khogyang advisory committee engagement). New materials, such as pesticide safety picture booklets, and posters were developed using ideas from the Khogyang community participants. The results showed that knowledge of rubber farmers on pesticide use was 11.82 + 3.33, observed at low level. The score of belief regarding pesticide use was 3.57 + 0.40. Behavior of farmer participants on pesticide safety was 2.87+0.42. Positive statistically significant correlations between belief and behavior (r = 0.47) was found. To sustain the intervention program, collaboration with the Khogyang community partners and the Khogyang authorities is needed. It is necessary to monitor changes of knowledge, belief, and behavior related pesticide use in next six months.

The study objective was to evaluate the knowledge, beliefs and behaviors regarding agrochemical safety behaviors among farmers among farmers in the Khogyang community, Trang province, Thailand between the period September and December 2012. The principles of Health Belief Model and community participatory approach were applied to develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce agrochemical risk their behavior. 316 farmers from 8 villages in Khogyang community were recruited. The mean scores of the 3 variables (knowledge, belief and behavior) regarding agrochemical safety were measured. The results revealed that knowledge of farmer participants on agrochemical use was observed at low level. The level of overall belief regarding agrochemical safety was observed at moderate level. The mean scores of perceived susceptibility, seriousness, barriers, and benefits of agrochemical safety were 3.85 + 0.74, 3.52 + 0.56, 3.61+0.39 and 3.66+0.96, respectively. Behavior of farmer participants on agrochemical safety was also observed at moderate level. There were positive statistically significant correlations between knowledge and behavior scores; and overall belief and behavior scores (r = 0.336 and 0.621, respectively). In addition, statistically significant predictive variables associated agrochemical safety behavior were knowledge and belief on agrochemical use (Beta = 0.120 and 0. 0.576, respectively). These predictors accounted for 39.80 percents of variance. All predictors were positively related to agrochemical use behavior. The most common of agrochemicals use in the Kogyang community was "Glyphosate". Health risk behaviors regarding agrochemical use were lack of attention to safety precautions and the use of inappropriate protective gear. These are an elementary guide that is useful in introducing the ideas of community involvement in agrochemical safety behaviors