ปัจจัยคุกคามสุขภาพ การเจ็บป่วยและการบาดเจ็บที่เกี่ยวเนื่องจากการทำงาน ของเกษตรกรผู้ปลูกลำไย ตำบลประตูป่า อำเภอเมืองลำพูน จังหวัดลำพูน

Abstract

Agriculture ranks among the high risk occupations. Farmers are at risk for work-related illnesses and injuries. The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to examine occupational hazards and work-related illnesses and injuries among 282 Longan gardener, Pratupha Sub-district, Mueang Lamphun District, Lamphun Province. Data collection was carried out during October to November 2016. The study instrument was an interview form of occupational hazards, work related illnesses and injuries among longan gardener, which developed form a literature review. It was confirmed a content validity by panel of experts and yielded an index of 0.98. Reliability was tested and its value was at an acceptable level (0.88-0.94). Data analysis was performed by using descriptive statistics. The main results showed that the most important occupational hazards among the sample were ergonomic hazard including body twisting while work (37.23%), safety hazard including work with sharp tools or equipments (32.98%) and physical hazard including exposure to heat (26.95%). Whiles psycho social hazards were having income or compensation uncertainty (22.34%) and having accelerated harvest regularly (18.44%). Regarding chemical hazards, the sample exposed fertilizers or plant hormone substances frequently (30.50%).The most common illnesses possibly related to exposure of occupational hazards perceived by the study sample during the past one month included fatigue/excessive sweating (84.75%), stress/anxiety form having income or compensation uncertainty (78.01%) and accelerated harvest (59.57%), musculoskeletal pain including low back pain (71.91%) shoulder pain (70.12%) leg/knee pain (63.83%) and headache (64.89%). Work-related injury during the past 3 month was 39.22 percent. The injury causation were falls and slips (69.48%) and cut form sharp instruments (50.24%). The most frequently injured body parts were legs and knee (62.91%) hand and finger (60.09%). The injury attribute to bruises (69.95%) sprains and strains (49.77%). Severity of injury was non-fatal injuries, without days away from work (64.32%). The results of this study indicate that public health personnel and related health team who take main responsibility for occupational and environmental health should recognize the importance of developing systematic both environmental and health surveillance for longan gardener. Raising self-awareness and responsibility for health and behavioral change are needed to reduce occupational illnesses or injuries related to work among longan gardener.