Health Risk Assessment from Organophosphate Pesticide in Farmers: Case Study of Makatai community, Banyang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Buriram Province

Abstract

The farmers who use organophosphate pesticide that potential inhibit central nervous system function and accumulate chronic toxicity that induced carcinoma. This cross-sectional survey research objectives were to assess risk of accumulation of organophosphate chemical and correlation test between risk assessment result and biological test in the farmers who lived in Makatai Community, Banyang Subdistrict, Mueang District of Buriram Province. The 63 participants were voluntarily recruited. Instruments consist of Health Risk Questionnaire and serum cholinesterase level test for the farmers. The data were analyzed data by descriptive statistics for instance: frequency, percentage and correlation analysis by inferential statistics: Chi-square. It was found that the large number of farmers were female (74.60%), with the age range from 54 to 71 years old (50.80%), self-farming (53.96%), granular chemical fertilizers contact (44.44%), and chemical substance mix (22.22%), stayed in area of chemical spraying (20.64%). Health risk assessment results were low or moderate risk in 49 persons (79.03%), at relatively high or higher risk 13 persons (20.97%). Biological test result from screening for serum cholinesterase level test was normal level and safety in 35 persons (56.45%), and risk and unsafe level in 27 persons (43.55%). Risk assessment results were significantly in line with the biological test results, (p<0.05). It is recommended that allied organizations should provide education for farmers on pesticide chemical use safely, tracking behavior observation of pesticide chemical use, and provide guidance for hazardous reduction in farmers at risk.