A quantitative analysis of the characteristics of pesticide use among colombian agricultural workers

The campesino agricultural communities in Colombia are vulnerable in many domains (economic, health) and they remain a crucial target population for medical and public health studies. Campesinos are at a high risk of occupational hazards, such as those derived from pesticide use and exposure. This study focused on individual factors that influence pesticide use and exposure. I collected 79 questionnaires with adult (male and female) rural agricultural campesinos in San Cristobal, Antioquia, Colombia. We examined campesinos' perceptions on pesticides' harm for human health and the environment, as well as beliefs, attitudes, perceived control and perceived confidence related to pesticide use. The findings differed between two campesino groups sampled: pesticide users and agroecological adherents. Pesticide users experienced lower perceptions of pesticide harm for human health and the environment, lower perceived control about stopping pesticide use (an increase in one unit in control decreases the logit of using pesticides by 74%), and lower confidence about stopping pesticide use than agroecological adherents (an increase in one unit in confidence decreases the logit of using pesticides by 64%). We discuss individual influences on occupational safety and health and recommend that future public health and educational interventions should improve safety training and confidence so campesinos can gain control of the process for implementing behavioral change related to pesticide use reduction.