While there is growing public concern over the safety
of the food supply, few studies have contrasted varying
perceptions of pesticide risk. This study assessed and
contrasted perceptions of three groups of Oregon State
University Extension Service clientele (home food
preservers, Master Gardener volunteers, commercial growers)
and factors influencing these perceptions. The impact of
the pesticide risk perceptions on purchasing decisions and
pesticide application practices was assessed.
Two questionnaires were developed: one for home food
preservers/Master Gardener volunteers and one for commercial
growers. One hundred twenty-seven questionnaires were
completed by a convenience sample of home food preservers
(85% adjusted return rate) and 155 questionnaires were
completed by randomly selected Oregon State University
Master Gardener volunteers (81% adjusted return rate). A
shortened version of the questionnaire was completed by 124
participants at the annual meeting of Willamette Valley
Processed Vegetable Growers. Home preservers were 84%
female (mean age=49 ± 14 years), volunteers were 50%
female/50% male (mean age=56 ±14 years), and commercial
growers were 95% male (mean age=42 ± 11 years).
Three different measures of pesticide risk perceptions
were used to test six hypotheses: Respondents rated 1)
"eating foods produced using pesticides" as high, low, or no risk, and agreed/disagreed (on Likert scales) whether 2) "chemical residues remaining on produce are a major health
concern," and 3) "children are at a greater risk for illness
from pesticides than adults." Produce selection decisions,
pesticide application practices, life stages, gender, media
awareness, and knowledge of agricultural production
techniques and practices were also assessed to determine
their relationship with risk perceptions.
Perceptions of risk varied among the three groups.
Fifty-five percent of preservers rated "eating foods
produced using pesticides" as a "high" risk compared to 34%
of volunteers and 2% of growers. Thirty-four percent of
preservers strongly agreed that "chemical residues remaining
on produce are a major health concern" compared to 25% of
volunteers and 7% of growers. Forty-six percent of
preservers strongly agreed that "children are at a greater
risk of illness from pesticides than adults" compared to 42%
of volunteers. Fifty-two percent of growers strongly/
somewhat agreed that children are at no greater risk.
Gender was significantly associated with respondents'
perceptions. Eighty-nine percent of preservers rating the
risk of "eating food produced using pesticides" as "high"
were female as were 65% of volunteers. Female volunteers
moderately agreed that "chemical residues remaining on
produce are a major health concern" compared to males who
tended to neither agree nor disagree.
The presence of children living in the home was
significantly related to the volunteers' perceptions that
chemicals are a major health concern and that children are
at greater risk. Preservers and growers' results indicated
there were no significant differences.
Awareness of pesticide reports in the media was
measured by recall of four media events. Media awareness
was significantly associated with preservers' perceptions
that eating foods produced with pesticides was "high" risk
and that children are at a greater risk for illness because of pesticide residues. There was no media association for either volunteers or growers.
Influence of risk perceptions on produce purchase
decisions was measured with a series of questions about
past, present, and future purchases. Results indicated that
volunteers' pesticide risk perceptions were significantly
related to more produce selection decisions than were home
food preservers. The risk perception measure that "chemical
residues remaining on produce are a major health concern"
was most significantly associated with purchase decisions
for both preservers and volunteers. For preservers and
volunteers there were significant relationships between all
three measures of pesticide risk perceptions and three of
the twelve purchase decisions tested. Those who perceived
a higher risk were 1) more willing to pay a higher price for
certified residue free produce, 2) more concerned about
pesticide residues when buying imported produce, and 3)
intended to purchase produce grown without synthetic
pesticides even if it costs more.
Knowledge of agricultural practices was measured by a
set of five questions. Mean scores ranged from 0.9 ± 0.9 for
preservers to 1.6 ± 1.0 for volunteers out of a possible 5.0.
Volunteers' with higher scores were significantly more
likely to agree that chemicals are a major health concern
and that children are at a greater risk of illness from
pesticide residues. No significant associations were seen
for preservers.
Pesticide application practices were significantly
related to pesticide risk perceptions. Preservers and
volunteers who generally perceived the risks as "high"
reported not using pesticides. Preservers reporting changes
in application practices moderately agreed chemical residues
are a major health concern while volunteers' reporting
changes in application practices strongly agreed that
children are at higher risk than adults. Growers tended to
disagree that pesticides are a major health concern and they were less concerned that children are at a greater risk from
pesticides.
The study concluded that the home food preservers and
Master Gardener volunteers perceived the risks associated
with pesticides and produce as much higher than commercial
vegetable growers. This difference in perceptions is
reflected in some of their produce selection decisions and
pesticide application practices. Children living at home,
gender, media awareness, and knowledge of agricultural
practices were associated with the pesticide risk
perceptions of these Extension clientele.
Results suggest that educational programming to
increase knowledge about pesticide usage in agricultural
production is warranted. There is also a need to foster
better communications among groups with differing points of
views about pesticide residue risks. / Graduation date: 1994
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/27232 |
| Date | 30 August 1993 |
| Creators | Love, Margaret L. |
| Contributors | Raab, Carolyn A. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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