ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH INFORMATION NEEDS AMONG CITRUS FARMERS IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.

Farmers are exposed to various hazards which can be detrimental to their health at every stage of farming activities. This study examined health information needs among citrus farmers in Ogun State of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling method which involve purposive and snowball sampling techniques was used to select 38 citrus farmers. Data were collected using interview schedule. Data were analyzed with frequency counts and percentages. Most (73.7%) of the farmers were male, 44.7% were aged 60 years and above, 84.1% of them were married and 71.1% had one form of education or the other. The major source of information on health issues among them was radio accounting for 60.5%. Health information needs identified among the respondents were health hazard preventive and curative measures (97.4%), relationship between health and lifestyle (97.4%), identification of signs and symptoms of ill-health (92.1%) and personal hygeine (92.1%). The farmers were exposed to chemical hazards through application of fertilizer with bare hands (50.0%), spraying of agrochemicals without nose gaurds (39.4%) and pouring of chemicals on their body (34.2%). In order to achieve the health-related millennium development goals, there is need to disseminate tailor-made information that will minimize or curb exposure to health hazard and ill-health that may accompany them in the long run among the farmers.