PERCEPTION ABOUT HEALTH RISK AND HEALTH PROTECTION FROM CROPS AND FOREST FIRE SMOKE AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN NAN PROVINCE THAILAND

Abstract

The study was carried out among high school students in Nan Province, Thailand with the objective of determining the receiving information, perception, and health protection of crops and forest fire smoke. Two hundred and seventy eight students were randomly selected and provided with self-administrated questionnaire. About 60% of the students were female. The mean age was 16±1.65 years. Nearly 65% were studying in senior high school level. The public information sources such as television, local radio, newspaper, and advertisement were the most common sources which the respondents used to receive the crops and forest fire smoke information. Most students had received all information sometimes. Most students had moderate level of receiving information (mean = 19±4.30). The majority of students had high perceptions and good understanding on the cause of the smoke and environment and health effects of the smoke. Most students had moderate level of perception (mean = 27.00±4.21). Most students used all of the health protection measures to protect them from the crops and forest fire smoke including resident environmental adaptation; personal lifestyle modification; and community participation. Most students had moderate of health protection (mean = 6.54± 2.16). This study found that health protection was significantly associated with studying level (p-value=0.036), receiving information (p-value = 0.033), and perception (p-value < 0.001). Moreover the perception was significantly associated with receiving information (p-value = 0.011). Receiving information was the important factor of increasing the health risk perception and health protection from crops and forest fire smoke among the high school student. Health risk perception was the most important factor of health protection to avoiding and reducing the crops and forest fire smoke exposure. Therefore, increasing the receiving information need to be developed to make the perception which in turn will influence students to modify their behavior.