A study of the use and impact of pesticides in St. Lucia - abstract

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of a survey of 130 pesticide users designed to identify attitudes, gaps in knowledge, and unsafe practices which contribute to the risk of pesticide usage to health. A tintometric field method was compared to a standard laboratory method to detect cases of cholinesterase inhibition (pesticide poisoning). Sixty-five per cent of the agricultural workers and vector control officers never wear protective clothing. Their knowledge of routes of absorption was inadequate, but even if warnings are printed boldly on the product labels, <50 percent of the users were capable of consistently understanding written warnings. However, <60 percent of the individuals who understood the labels generally followed the advice provided. The 53 percent of respondents who had received training were no more likely than their untrained colleagues to adhere to safety practices. No significant differences existed between the cholinesterease levels of the exposed and the unexposed workers, but this may be the result of several conservative biases (AU)