ความรู้ ทัศนคติ และพฤติกรรมเกี่ยวกับการใช้ยาปฏิชีวนะทางการเกษตรในสวนส้มของเกษตรกรในอำเภอฝาง จังหวัดเชียงใหม่

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward antibiotic use in tangerine orchard and investigate their associations among tangerine orchard farmers in Fang District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. This study was conducted in Fang District during October 2021 and May 2022. The participants in this study were 151 farmers, including owners and workers. All participants were administered face-to-face questionnaires. It is divided into 5 parts: general information, knowledge test, attitude questionnaire, practice questionnaire, and behavioral interview form specific to those who prepare or mix agricultural antibiotics in the tangerine orchards of sample farmers. Data analysis is generally based on descriptive statistics. In terms of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the use of agricultural antibiotics in tangerine orchard. An analysis on data of descriptive statistics and analysis on the relationship of knowledge attitudes and behavior on antibiotics usage by using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results of this study show that most of participants aged below 25 years (29.1%), and were uneducated (76.2%), More than 80% had sprayed or applied antibiotics into the tangerine trees while 38.4% had prepared or mixed antibiotics. The major reason of antibiotics use among participants were following the orchard owner’s order (59.7%). Normally, they applied the antibiotics 2 – 3 times per year. Most participants had moderate levels of knowledge (7.78 ± 3.10), attitude (2.79 ± 0.56), practice (3.60 ± 0.59), and behavioral interview form specific to those who prepare or mix agricultural antibiotics (2.86 ± 0.93) regarding antibiotic use in tangerine orchard. The correlation test showed the significantly positive correlation between attitude and practice scores at moderate level (r=0.453, p<0.001). However, there was no association between knowledge and attitude/practice. This study indicates that attitude regarding antibiotic use in tangerine orchards can affect the practice among tangerine farmworkers. Importantly, the orchard’s owner is the key factor of the worker’s behaviors. Therefore, the orchard owners should take a responsibility on antibiotic use monitoring as well as raising awareness of farmworker on health and environmental impacts.

Keywords: knowledge, attitudes, practices, antibiotic use, tangerine orchard, farmers