Abstract: This research aims to study knowledge, attitude, behavioral and cholinesterase level on pesticides of agriculturist with different sex, age, educational level and frequency of pesticide use. Samples were 385 agriculturists of Maung, Banphotpisai and Koaleaw district in Nakhon Sawan province obtained by the simple random sampling technique. The instruments used for the study included; 20 items of knowledge test, 20 items scale on attitude and 24 items scale on behavior about pesticides use and reactive paper. The collected data were analyzed by using percentage; mean, Standard Deviation (SD) and F-test (One-way MANOVA) were employed for testing hypotheses. The research results revealed that most of samples are female (62.6%), age between 40-59 years old (62.9%), finished on elementary education (77.9%), period of time in earning a living by grow the jasmine <5 years (40.8%) used methomyl for insecticide (48.3%) used furadan for fungicide (45.5%) used bipyridylium for Herbicides (49.1%) and more frequently use pesticides about 2 times week^-1 (58.9%). Agriculturist with different age, educational level and frequency of pesticide use did show knowledge, attitude and behavioral and cholinesterase level pesticide differently (p<0.05) but agriculturist with different sex did not show knowledge, attitude and behavioral and cholinesterase level pesticide differently (p>0.05).

INTRODUCTION

Since a previous decade, Thailand population has increased and affected to the increasing demand of agricultural products and technological developments that made to be spread of toxic substances. This evidences impact to ecosystems and overall quality of life of Thai populations that >70% are agriculturists who usually use toxic substances to increase their products and insecticide (Ministry of Science, 2001) found the most of patients with substance abuse residing in the North of Thailand equal to 41.18% then the North-Ease, central and South region equivalence 31.47, 22.25 and 5.10%, respectively.

Morbidity rate of Nakhon Sawan is the 10th ranking of Thailand; the most patient is agriculturist 48.76%. Lack of knowledge, bad attitude and bad practice in using substance abuse in the farms are the causes of problem (Nakhon Sawan Pronvincial Health Office, 2008). Environment pollution is from issues that had caused so many problem.

Discovery of chemical substances especially pesticides is from historical events that followed by human’s power waxing in control of environment. Undoubtedly, discovery of chemical substances is for harmful creations killing and it won’t be surprising that pesticides harm as they benefit (Nasehi et al., 2007).

The successfully solution should starting with human that are the host all steak holders have to participate in the solution. Education is a sustainable solution by changing them to be appropriate knowledge, attitude and practice (Veeravatnanon, 2003). Therefore, this study considering in participatory learning process on substance abuse of agriculturist in Nakhon Sawan for appropriated knowledge, attitude and practice.

The research’s purposes: To study knowledge, attitude, behavioral and cholinesterase level on pesticides of agriculturist in Maung, Banphotpisai and Koaleaw district Nakhon Sawan with different sex, age, educational level and frequency of pesticide use.

Hypothesis: The difference of individual characteristics of agriculturist composing sex, age, educational level, times of career and frequency of using substance abuse have knowledge, attitude, practice of substance abuse and blood cholinesterase level is significant difference.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Population and sample as follows:

Research instrument including the following:

Data collection, there was the step as follows:

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

From Table 1, it is observed that most of samples are female 62.6%, age between 40-59 years old 62.9%, completed elementary school 77.9%, period of grow the jasmine <5 years 40.8% using lannet 48.3% using furadan 45.5% using bipyridylium 49.1% and used substance abuse >2 times in the last month 58.9%. Table 2 shows that most of samples were in the moderate level of knowledge 62.2% (min = 2, max = 18 and mean = 12.23 scores).

Attitude level, most of them were in the high level equivalence 60.6% (min = 51, max = 96 and mean = 71.39 scores). Whereas behavioral level of them were in the low level equal to 91.2% (min = 26, max = 51 and mean = 35.25 scores).

Table 1:	Demographic characteristics of samples

Table 2:	Knowledge, attitude and behavioral levels on substance abuse and levels of blood cholinesterase of agriculturist in Nakhon Sawan province

Most of samples were in the risky level of blood cholinesterase equivalence 37.1. Table 3 shows that sex of the samples was not significant difference among the different knowledge, attitude, behavioral levels and levels of blood cholinesterase at p>0.05.

Table 3:	Comparing among the different demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitude, behavioral levels and levels of blood cholinesterase and of agriculturist in Nakhon Sawan province

Nevertheless, age of samples was significant difference among the different knowledge, attitude, behavioral levels and levels of blood cholinesterase at p<0.05 which does not accorded to Jansamood et al. (2009) research who found that officers with different ages, education levels and job positions did not show knowledge and awareness on envoirnmental impact assessment differently (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

From this research, most of samples are female (62.6%), age between 40-59 years old (62.9%), finished on elementary education (77.9%), period of time in earning a living by grow the jasmine <5 years (40.8%) used methomyl for insecticide (48.3%) used furadan for fungicide (45.5%) used bipyridylium for herbicides (49.1%) and more frequently use pesticides about 2 times week^-1 (58.9%); agriculturist with different age, educational level and frequency of pesticide use did show knowledge, attitude and behavioral and Cholinesterase level pesticide differently (p<0.05) but agriculturist with different sex did not show knowledge, attitude and behavioral and Cholinesterase level pesticide differently (p>0.05).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research has completed perfectly with a support and kindness of Assistant Professor Dr.Chusri Talabmook (thesis committee chairman), Dr. Tawatchai Tanee (thesis committee) who have greatly given a useful advice and weakness verification from the beginning till its completion. Eventually, researcher would like to take this opportunity to give them very much of researcher’s appreciation and thank you indeed.