Department of Occupational Health and Safety, School of Public Health, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand.
Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand.
J Agromedicine. 2024 Jul;29(3):461-476. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2024.2343405. Epub 2024 Apr 15.
This study examined factors related to perceived health risks in confined spaces (PCSHR) and their correlation with the mental workload among farmers managing agricultural wells in northern Thailand.
A cross-sectional, multi-stage sample of 356 farmers was selected from four rural districts' agricultural areas. Data were collected through interviews conducted from August to December 2022, using a self-administered structured questionnaire. The five-part questionnaire gathered demographic data, information on experiences and operations in agricultural wells, knowledge of confined spaces, PCSHR, and the six-dimension NASA Task Load Index (TLX) mental workload. Linear regression and multi-variable analyses were used to investigate factors associated with PCSHR, while Pearson correlations tested the association between PCSHR and mental workload variables.
Most farmers were male (92.4%), worked in wells to install pumping systems (81.7%) and maintain equipment (73.3%), averaging 3.80 times per year, with an average duration of 25.81 minutes. Physical symptoms reported included difficulty breathing (72.8%), feeling swelteringly hot (55.9%), and sweating excessively (27.8%), as well as accidents such as being struck by falling soil or objects (20.2%), and falling into the well while climbing down (14.9%). Farmers' perceived risk scores were high when working while physically exhausted or unprepared and when assisting an unconscious worker without knowing the gas concentration. In addition, the maximal mental workload scores were mental demand and effort subscale. Factors significantly associated with PCSHR ( = 60.6%, < .05) encompassed education higher than lower secondary level, current alcohol consumption, smaller well width, assisted operations, number of physical symptoms experienced, absence of environmental accidents, and confined space knowledge, while increased PCSHR was positively associated with mental workload ( < .01).
Comprehensive education about potential hazards can improve farmers' risk perception, potentially reducing mental workload and preventing fatal accidents. Field studies are recommended to develop community-specific work protocols and accurate measuring instruments suitable for rural settings are needed.
本研究旨在探讨与受限空间感知健康风险（PCSHR）相关的因素及其与泰国北部管理农用井的农民精神工作负荷之间的相关性。
采用多阶段整群抽样方法，从四个农村地区的农业区中抽取了 356 名农民作为研究对象。数据收集于 2022 年 8 月至 12 月通过自填式结构化问卷进行。五部分问卷收集了人口统计学数据、农用井经验和操作信息、受限空间知识、PCSHR 以及 NASA 任务负荷指数（TLX）的六个维度精神工作负荷。采用线性回归和多变量分析来研究与 PCSHR 相关的因素，而皮尔逊相关检验了 PCSHR 与精神工作负荷变量之间的关联。
大多数农民为男性（92.4%），从事安装泵送系统（81.7%）和设备维护（73.3%）工作，平均每年 3.80 次，每次平均持续 25.81 分钟。报告的身体症状包括呼吸困难（72.8%）、感觉闷热（55.9%）和过度出汗（27.8%），以及意外情况，如被掉落的土壤或物体击中（20.2%）和在爬下井时掉入井中（14.9%）。当农民感到身体疲惫或准备不足时，或在不知道气体浓度的情况下协助无意识工人时，他们对风险的感知得分较高。此外，最大的精神工作负荷得分是精神需求和努力子量表。与 PCSHR 显著相关的因素（ = 60.6%， < .05）包括接受过高中以上教育、当前饮酒、较小的井宽、协助操作、经历的身体症状数量、无环境事故以及受限空间知识，而增加的 PCSHR 与精神工作负荷呈正相关（ < .01）。
全面的潜在危险教育可以提高农民的风险感知，可能会降低精神工作负荷并防止致命事故发生。建议开展实地研究，制定适合农村地区的特定社区工作协议，并开发适合农村地区的准确测量仪器。
