293431
Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors following a pesticide education intervention in webb county, TX
Jennifer Ross, Dr.P.H.,
Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine,, College Station, TX
Leslie Cizmas, Ph.D.,
Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
Rodolfo Rincon, MD, MPH,
Department of Family and Community Medicine, South Tx. Env. Education & Research (STEER), UT Health Science Center San Antonio, Laredo, TX
Thomas McDonald, Ph.D.,
Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
Colonias have poor living conditions that increase pest problems and pesticide use. Pesticide exposure is of particular concern in young children, due to increased vulnerability to pesticide exposure. This study employed promotoras to deliver a pesticide health education module to families with children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years in the Webb County colonias. Assessments of knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes were given prior to, immediately following, and six months after the module delivery. Participant mean knowledge test scores improved by 3.9 points (99.85 %CI: 3.4, 4.4) immediately following the module. This corresponds to a 22 percent increase in the summed knowledge score. Six months after the module, scores remained higher by 2.2 points (99.85% CI: 1.7, 2.8) over the pre-test scores, representing a 12 percent increase in knowledge scores. In addition, significant changes were seen in some behaviors and attitudes six months after the module. The results suggest that promotora-driven environmental health education modules may produce persistent improvements in knowledge, behavior, and attitudes about pesticide use.
Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Describe a health education intervention.
Evaluate an environmental health education intervention.
Keyword(s): Health Education, Environmental Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a doctoral student with research focusing on environmental health education and pesticide exposures in underserved communities. I have been involved with this CDC funded project from the the time before its implementation (post-funding) through its completion. I have been involved with the planning, oversight, training, reporting, implementation, data collection, and analysis of this work.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.