Misuse, perceived risk, and safety issues of household insecticides: Qualitative findings from focus groups in Arequipa, Peru
| Autor: | Anika J. Larson, Claudia Arevalo-Nieto, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan, Joanna Brown, Michael J. Levy, Ricardo Castillo-Neyra, Carlos Condori-Pino |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Insecticides Mosquito Control Epidemiology RC955-962 Disease Vectors 0302 clinical medicine Medical Conditions Drug Misuse Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine Peru Allergies Medicine and Health Sciences Insect vectors Public and Occupational Health 030212 general & internal medicine Aged 80 and over Poisoning Arthropod Vectors Eukaryota Agriculture Focus Groups Middle Aged Insects Infectious Diseases Engineering and Technology Female Safety Equipment Health Impact Assessment Safety Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Psychology Agrochemicals purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#3.03.06 [https] Research Article Adult Risk medicine.medical_specialty Arthropoda Infectious Disease Control 030231 tropical medicine MEDLINE Equipment Vector Borne Diseases Qualitative property Context (language use) 03 medical and health sciences Young Adult Signs and Symptoms Environmental health medicine Animals Humans Pesticides Personal protective equipment Aged business.industry Public health Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Organisms Biology and Life Sciences Safety equipment Focus group Invertebrates Insect Vectors Risk perception Species Interactions Medical risk factors Medical Risk Factors Pest Control Clinical Medicine business Zoology Entomology |
| Zdroj: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 15, Iss 5, p e0009251 (2021) PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Popis: | Background The current body of research on insecticide use in Peru deals primarily with application of insecticides offered through Ministry of Health-led campaigns against vector-borne disease. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the individual use, choice and perceptions of insecticides which may influence uptake of public health-based vector control initiatives and contribute to the thousands of deaths annually from acute pesticide poisoning in Peru. Methods Residents (n = 49) of the Alto Selva Alegre and CC districts of peri-urban Arequipa participated in seven focus group discussions (FGD). Using a FGD guide, two facilitators led the discussion and conducted a role-playing activity. this activity, participants insecticides (represented by printed photos of insecticides available locally) and pretended to “sell” the insecticides to other participants, including describing their qualities as though they were advertising the insecticide. The exercise was designed to elicit perceptions of currently available insecticides. The focus groups also included questions about participants’ preferences, use and experiences related to insecticides outside the context of this activity. Focus group content was transcribed, and qualitative data were analyzed with Atlas.ti and coded using an inductive process to generate major themes related to use and choice of insecticides, and perceived risks associated with insecticide use. Results The perceived risks associated with insecticides included both short- and long-term health impacts, and safety for children emerged as a priority. However, in some cases insecticides were reportedly applied in high-risk ways including application of insecticides directly to children and bedding. Some participants attempted to reduce the risk of insecticide use with informal, potentially ineffective personal protective equipment and by timing application when household members were away. Valued insecticide characteristics, such as strength and effectiveness, were often associated with negative characteristics such as odor and health impacts. “Agropecuarios” (agricultural supply stores) were considered a trusted source of information about insecticides and their health risks. Conclusions It is crucial to characterize misuse and perceptions of health impacts and risks of insecticides at the local level, as well as to find common themes and patterns across populations to inform national and regional programs to prevent acute insecticide poisoning and increase community participation in insecticide-based vector control campaigns. We detected risky practices and beliefs about personal protective equipment, risk indicators, and safety levels that could inform such preventive campaigns, as well as trusted information sources such as agricultural stores for partnerships in disseminating information. Author summary In the region of Arequipa, Peru, there have been campaigns by the government to eliminate triatomine insects from local households, such as going door-to-door offering to spray homes with insecticides. This is because triatomine insects carry the life-threatening Chagas disease. However, many types of insects can cause problems in the home, and community members may be using other insecticide products in addition to the government spray campaigns. In this study, we asked household members in the Arequipa region what insecticide products they already used. We also did activities where study participants “advertised” insecticides to help figure out what was most important to community members about insecticides. We found that community members in Arequipa were using a wide variety of insecticides in the home in addition to the government spray campaigns. Many community members are concerned about the impact of insecticides on their health. We also learned that some community members were using insecticides in a way that could be dangerous–for example, using insecticides on children or in bedding, or not using proper safety equipment. We hope that future campaigns against triatomines include education, safety resources and working with households to make sure that the insecticides they use are safe and used correctly. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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