The questionnaire contained three main sections. The first section
was designed to collect information on personal characteristics of the
farmers including age, educational level, years of farming experience,
and farmsize. The second section included questions regarding farmers'
perceptions of pesticide risk and experience of negative health-related effects of pesticides, their pest management and pesticide information
sources, and the criteria used in their decision to apply pesticides, etc.
With respect to pesticide risk perceptions, farmers were asked to rate
how risky they believed pesticides were to several aspects of human
health and the environment, such as food safety, the health of pesticide
applicators and other farmers, and to air and water quality. Responses
were ranked on a five-point Likert-type scale for each question as follows:
1 = not risky, 2 = slightly risky, 3 = moderately risky, 4 =
very risky, and 5=extremely risky. The responses were then averaged
to create an overall risk perception score. The third section focused on
collecting information on the name and active ingredient(s) of each
pesticide applied, the crops treated, the recommended label dosages,
the actual amount applied by respondents, the frequency of applications,
and areas treated. This information provides the basis for
assessing to what extent farmers are overusing pesticides.