ABSTRACT
Pesticides are widely used throughout the world, especially in agriculture for crop protection. Agriculture work is one of the most prevalent types of employment in the world. The objective of study is to assess socio-economic demographic characteristics influencing Knowledge Attitude and Practice of farmers regarding the pesticides use.A cross-sectional study was conducted among the farmers of kangralli village in Belgaum district. 100 farmers were enrolled in the study. Out of 100 farmers, who participated in the study, 81% were male farmers and 19% were female farmers. Majority 82% of farmers were literate and 85% of farmers were using pesticides for their crops cultivation. Knowledge regarding the personal protective equipment was known to 100% used mask, 16.3%used apron, 14% used gloves, 8.1% used goggles and only 3.5% used special boots during spraying pesticides in field. Knowledge of farmers on personal hygiene and sanitation was known to 100% who washed their hands where only 67.44% took bath after spraying pesticides. Majority of the farmers neither smoked nor drank or ate anything during spray of pesticides.The present study showed that majority of the farmers had knowledge regarding pesticides use, storage and disposal and precautions to be taken during spraying pesticide but some of them who were illiterate they were lacking the knowledge regarding the use of pesticides and precautions to be taken during spray of pesticides and due to this various health hazards can happen to farmers health which may be chronic or acute health hazard. Keywords: Pesticides, human health, environment, KAP, personal protective equipment.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of training of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) on the Newborn care in resource poor setting in rural area. METHODS: A community based study in the Primary Health Center (PHC) area was conducted over one year period between March 2006 to February 2007. The study participants were 50 Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs)who conduct home deliveries in the PHC area. Training was conducted for two days which included topics on techniques of conducting safe delivery and newborn care practices. Pre-test evaluation regarding knowledge and practices about newborn care was done. Post-test evaluation was done at first month (early) and at fifth month (late) after the training. Analysis was done by using Mc. Nemer's test, Chi- square test with Yates's correction and Fischer's exact test. RESULTS: Pre-test evaluation showed that, knowledge and practices about newborn care services provided by the previously trained TBAs and untrained TBAs were poor. Early and late post-test evaluation showed that, there was a progressive improvement in the newborn care provided by both the groups. Preintervention period (one year prior to the training) and postintervention period (one year after the training) showed that, there was a statistically significant (p<0.05) reduction in the perinatal deaths (11 to 3) and neonatal deaths (10 to 2) among the deliveries conducted by TBAs after the training. CONCLUSION: Training programme for TBAs with regular reinforcements in the resource poor setting will not only improve the quality of newborn care but also reduces perinatal deaths.