A THESIS PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO UNIVERSITY OF GONDARCOLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES, INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIRMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Abstract

Summary Background: Agriculture in Ethiopia is the foundation of the country's economy, accounting for 46.3 percent of the nations of gross domestic product (GDP), 83.9% of exports, and 80% of total employment and remains the Ethiopian economy's most important sector. Accordingly, state farms received a large share of the country's resources for agriculture; from 1982 to since then, this totaled about 43 percent of the government's agricultural investment. However, such benefit opportunities are come with most hazardous work in which working force engaging their daily activities due to use of various kinds of chemicals and pesticides, poor working condition, low provisions of health and safety services. Even though, agriculture has been much contribution to the economy of the country its job has determinant problems on health of workers, environments due to low levels of awareness and safety practice about the existing Occupational hazards. Objective: To assess knowledge, practice and associated factors of occupational hazards among agricultural state farm workers, West Arsi zone, Southeast Ethiopia, 2016. Methods: Institutional cross sectional study will be conducted to assess knowledge, practice and associated factors of occupational hazards among agricultural state farm workers, West Arsi zone. The study will be conducted among 444 workers from all state farm sites by using stratified sampling method due to the heterogeneity of the study to the outcome variables followed by simple random sample. The data will be collected by five data collectors and two supervisors after two days training with interview, administered questionnaire and observational check list. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis will be conducted primarily to check which variables have association with the dependent variables individually and control effect of confounding. Work plan and cost of project: A total of 24,877.60 ETH Birr is required to carry out this study. The study will end up with four months (January - April 2016). Key work: Knowledge; Practice; Occupational hazards; Agricultural state farm; Ethiopia