title: Pesticide use pattern among farmers in a rural district of West Bengal, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A vast majority of Indian population are engaged in agriculture. While pesticides help in increasing crop production, inappropriate pesticide storage practice and inadequate protective measures frequently causes accidental poisoning among farmers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted to explore the pattern of pesticide use among farmers in a district of India with an attempt to identify the lacunae in their knowledge and awareness level on risks and hazards of pesticides use.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional questionnaire based study was conducted in the district of Burdwan, West Bengal, to address the study objective. Data analysis was performed by using descriptive statistical methods: Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study alpha-cypermethrin (46%) was the most commonly used pesticide followed by methyl parathion (25.6%), imidacloprid (16.4%), dichlorvos (7.8%) and phorate (4.2%). The farmers used to store pesticides mostly in cowshed (48.4%) followed by storeroom (29.6%). During spraying of pesticides, farmers experienced headache (29.8%) followed by nausea (26%), burning sensation in eyes (9.8%), cough (9.2%), muscle cramps (2%). Regarding the personal protective measures taken by the farmers for spraying, covering nose, mouth with cloth combined with bath after spraying was the most common practice (27%). When asked about suggested actions to be taken if anybody becomes sick following exposure to pesticides, 86% of farmers prefer consulting a doctor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study suggested that farmers of Burdwan were exposed to highly hazardous, restricted and banned pesticides, with insufficient protection. In this situation, educational and training interventions on pesticide handling and safety precautions are urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: A Sinha
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, N.R.S. Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Parama
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sengupta
keywords: Awareness level; farmer; pesticide; study
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 2002 Jun;59(6):387-93
references.pmid: 12040114
references.citation: Environ Health. 2006 Apr 21;5:10
references.pmid: 16630337