The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence rates of pesticide poisoning in
an agricultural community and identification of the factors influencing them. An incidence
rate of 301.9 per 100,000 population was estimated for the general population. A knowledge
score was developed for both the users and the non-users of pesticides and a practice score
was developed for the users. The finding indicate that immediate remedial measures are
needed for the control of the high incidence of suicides, using pesticides as the means.
Practicable intervention programmes should be introduced to prevent the occupational
pesticide poisonings, as it was found that practices of pesticide users were not satisfactory
unlike their level of knowledge.
