Differences among Thai Agricultural Workers' Health, Working Conditions, and Pesticide Use by Farm Type
Differences among Thai Agricultural Workers' Health, Working Conditions, and Pesticide Use by Farm Type
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DOI：
10.1093/annweh/wxx099
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发表时间：
2018-03-01
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Woskie, Susan
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Kongtip, Pornpimol;Nankongnab, Noppanun;Woskie, Susan
超过1100万泰国人（38%）从事农业，但由于大多数人在非正规部门工作，政府的执法和支持非常有限。因此，泰国农场的工作条件差异很大，使许多农业工人的健康处于危险之中。在泰国三个省进行的一项横断面研究收集了代表五种农场类型的424名农民的工作活动和条件的信息：水稻、蔬菜、花卉、水稻/蔬菜和花卉/蔬菜。农业工人主要是妇女（60%）;她们的平均年龄为53岁，但从18岁到87岁不等。超过64%的人每周工作超过5天。74%的人只有小学教育。所调查的一些健康和危险工作条件因农场类型而有很大差异。研究发现，稻农在使用农药后过敏、鼻塞、喘息和急性症状的患病率最高，而花农的这些健康结果的患病率最低。稻农报告说，危险工作条件的发生率最高，包括高噪音、在光滑的表面上工作、坐或站在振动的机器上、化学品/杀虫剂溢出和锐器伤。花农报告说，这些工作条件（噪音除外）的普遍性最低。菜农的膝关节问题患病率最高，而稻农的患病率最低。据报告，在这些农民中，过去一年使用了27种以上不同类型的杀虫剂，其中大多数人报告每月使用一次。花卉/蔬菜种植组报告了在使用农药期间采取良好接触预防做法的最高频率。他们最有可能报告在喷洒杀虫剂时使用棉或橡胶手套或一次性纸口罩。那些只种植蔬菜的农民采取良好的接触预防措施的频率最低，包括使用个人防护设备。泰国非正规部门农业工人因工受伤和患病的经济代价尚不清楚，需要进行研究。由于农药销售条例存在漏洞，农民在购买农药时没有接受安全使用方面的充分培训。需要针对农场类型开展关于安全使用农药和预防事故及肌肉骨骼疾病的培训。需要对泰国农民的慢性健康影响进行研究，特别强调呼吸道、代谢疾病和癌症。
More than 11 million Thai people (38%) work in agriculture, but since most are in the informal sector, government enforcement and support are very limited. As a result, working conditions on Thai farms vary greatly, putting the health of many agricultural workers at risk. A cross-sectional study in three Thai provinces collected information on the work activities and conditions of 424 farmers representing five farm types: rice, vegetable, flower, rice/vegetable, and flower/vegetable. The agricultural workers were mainly women (60%); their average age was 53 but ranged from 18 to 87 years. More than 64% worked more than 5 days/week. Seventy-four percent of them had only primary school education. A number of the health and hazardous working conditions surveyed were significantly different by farm type. Rice farmers were found to have the highest prevalence of allergies, nasal congestion, wheezing, and acute symptoms after pesticide use, while flower farmers had the lowest prevalence of these health outcomes. Rice farmers reported the highest prevalence of hazardous working conditions including high noise levels, working on slippery surfaces, sitting or standing on a vibrating machine, spills of chemicals/pesticides, and sharp injuries. The lowest prevalence of these working conditions (except noise) was reported by flower farmers. Vegetable farmers reported the highest prevalence knee problems, while rice farmers had the lowest prevalence. Among these farmers, more than 27 different types of pesticides were reported in use during the past year, with the majority reporting use once a month. The flower/vegetable farming group reported the highest frequency of good exposure prevention practices during pesticide use. They were the most likely to report using cotton or rubber gloves or a disposable paper masks during insecticide spraying. Those farmers who only grew vegetables had the lowest frequency of good exposure prevention practices, including use of personal protective equipment. The economic cost of work-related injuries and illnesses among informal sector agricultural workers in Thailand is unknown and in need of study. Gaps in the regulations covering pesticide sales allow farmers to purchase pesticides without adequate training in their safe use. Training targeted to farm type regarding safe pesticide use and the prevention of accidents and musculoskeletal disorders is needed. Studies of chronic health effects among Thai farmers are needed, with special emphasis on respiratory, metabolic disease and cancer.