TABLE 3. ADOLESCENT FARMWORKER BELIEFS ABOUT FARMWORK,

                  PESTICIDE EXPOSURE, AND HEALTH.

 

 

Health Belief Questions and Responses

            Adolescent Workers

 

               (%)                

    N=102

How difficult do you think it would be to find

a job outside of agriculture?*

 

A little to Impossible

80

(86.0)

 

Not difficult

13

(14.0)

Are you exposed to pesticides while working

in the fields?

 

Daily/Once a week/Once in a while

59

(57.8)

 

Never

43

(42.2)

Are there ways to protect yourself from exposure

to pesticides?

 

 

Yes

61

(59.8)

 

No

41

(40.2)

Do you think pesticides can cause health problems?

 

 

Yes

81

(79.4)

 

No or Not sure

21

(20.6)

How often in the past month have you had fears

about health effects of pesticides?

 

Never

49

(48.0)

 

Daily/Once a month/Once a week

53

(52.0)

Do you believe that you have become sick from being

around pesticides?*

 

Yes, Enough to worry a great deal

17

(16.8)

 

Yes, Enough to cause a little or no concern

28

(27.7)

 

Not at all

56

(55.4)

Do you believe that pesticides can affect the health of

children born to farmworkers?

 

Yes, Enough to worry a great deal

42

(41.1)

 

Yes, Enough to cause a little or no concern

35

(34.3)

 

Not at all

25

(24.5)

What are the chances that a [teenager] or [farmworker]

working in the field will experience some health problems

in the future?

 

Definitely to Somewhat likely

83

(81.4)

 

No chance

19

(18.6)

What are the chances that you will experience health

problems in the future?*

 

Definitely to Somewhat likely

75

(74.3)

 

No chance

26

(25.7)

 

*  Missing values – not all adolescents answered questions