Behavioral-Based Educational Intervention Directed toward Egyptian Agricultural Families to Protect Children from Pesticide Exposure

Culturally appropriate educational intervention was developed and directed toward agricultural families to improve knowledge and practice of agricultural families in order to protect their children from exposure to pesticides. Parents (n = 297) were randomly assigned into either lecture or video training group. Ability to recall information or improve practices among parents was evaluated in three consecutive sessions (2 weeks and 1 month apart). All participating families were using pesticides inside homes and in the fields. All families were using flying insect killers inside homes (main ingredients include tetramethrin, sumithrin, pyrethrin, piperonyl butoxide) in different forms. Pesticides applied in the fields are organophosphates (57.9%), carbamates (41.4%), and pyrethroids (28.5%). In both lecture and video training groups, knowledge scores of participants improved significantly in the second and third sessions, as compared to the first session. Although practice scores of both groups improved in subsequent sessions, the changes were not significant. Using non-traditional appropriately designed educational interventions that depend more on visual memory is more likely to ensure sustainability of the gained knowledge as well as practice.