Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Women Regarding Health Hazards and Proper Methods of Storage and Use of Pesticides at Home in Abarkouh

A large amount of pesticides is used worldwide in different locations including homes. Considering that using pesticides in the home is mainly done by women, this study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of women regarding health hazards and proper methods of storage and use of pesticides in the home in Abarkouh. In this descriptive study, data were collected using cluster sampling and questionnaire by interviewing 210 eligible women in households. The questionnaire was included demographic information (age, education level, field of study, occupation, type of home), as well as knowledge, attitudes and practices of women. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire have been confirmed in previous studies. Data were analyzed by SPSS using nonparametric tests. According to results, the mean score of attitude among different academic disciplines was statistically significantly (p = 0.049). In addition, there was a significant relationship between attitude score with practice (p = 0.003) and knowledge (p < 0.0001) scores.  Considering the fact that people's knowledge about this subject was moderate, their knowledge should be increased to make their attitude and practice more desirable.