Consumers and Farmers’ Media Exposure, Knowledge, Attitude and Acceptance of Paraquat Usage

Abstract

        The objectives of this research were 1) to explore consumers and farmers’ media exposure, knowledge, attitude and acceptance of paraquat usage, 2) to explore the difference among the media exposure, the knowledge, the attitude, and the acceptance of paraquat usage in demographic characteristics, 3) to explain those associations also, and 4) to describe the key factors for the acceptance of paraquat usage. This was quantitative research that collected the samples of 400 consumers and farmers in Thailand, by using a questionnaire. Percentage, frequency, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way analysis of variance ANOVA, Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. As a result, the findings were: 1) the media exposure of all samples, consumers, and farmers was at the lowest level. Their knowledge is moderate level, and the attitude was neutral level but the acceptance of paraquat usage was high level. 2) There were differences in the media exposure, the knowledge, the attitude, and the acceptance of paraquat usage among farmers and consumers. 3) There were associations between media exposure and the acceptance of paraquat usage. There were associations between the knowledge and the attitude also the acceptance of paraquat usage. As well, there were associations between the attitude and the acceptance of paraquat usage. The media exposure, the knowledge, and the attitude could predict moderately the acceptance of paraquat usage at 29.20% of the coefficient of multiple determination. 4) The key factor for the acceptance of paraquat usage was the attitude of paraquat usage.