Occupational Health and Safety Associated with Self Care Practice among Rubber Farmers - การรับรู้ด้านอาชีวอนามัยและความปลอดภัยกับการดูแลสุขภาพตนเองของเกษรประกอบอาชีพสวนยางพารา

Abstract

         The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to quantify the level of perception on occupational health and safety and self care practice and to investigate an association between occupational health and safety and self care practice among rubber farmers in Leam Tanod subdistrict, Khun Khanun district, Phatthalung province during January to February, 2011. Of these, 165 samples were systematically selected and interviewed by using questionnaire. The content validity was checked by 3 experts and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of perception and self care practice were 0.812 and 0.805 respectively. The main results revealed that rubber farmers had perception on occupational health and safety (x 2.77, SD 0.44) and self care practice at a moderate level (x 3.33, SD 0.50). In addition, the perception on occupational health and safety associated with self care practice at a moderate level (r 0.66, p-value < 0.001). The results suggested that the knowledge of accident protection and occupational diseases should be promoted, and focused on perceived severity and perceived barriers. Furthermore, the rubber farmers should be provided with appropriate promotion programs on exercise, recreation, mental health and physical examination which resulted in overall self care practice among rubber farmers directly.
Key words: perception, occupational health and safety, self care, rubber farmers