This study was conducted to assess the awareness and work-related behavioral risk factors of Scrub typhus, Leptospirosis, and Nephrotic syndrome hemorrhagic fever that occur mainly in autumn season among farmers in some regions of Gyeongju and to provide evidence-based preventive strategies. Our study result demonstrated that serum response rates for Scrub typhus and Leptospirosis was 1.5% each while it was 1.9% for renal syndrome hemorrhagic fever. The result showed that tick-bite, work-relatd to fruit growing, working in vinyl greenhouse were major work-related risk factors for these diseases. Behavioral risk factors were low and were not statistically significant for Scrub typhus. Health promotion strategies should focus on use of protective measures during work and improve quality of life of farmers.
Similar to previous studies, the serum response rate was found to be higher for Leptospirosis among those who had seen rats and rat secretion, although it was not statistically significant. In addition, harvesting rice after the rainy season or heavy rainfall in the autumn is considered as risk of having Leptospirosis. However, results of this study showed that the serum reaction was high and statistically significant when the fruit related cultivation was done. Farmers should therefore be made more aware about the risk of the disease and use of protective measures while working irrespective of their work types.
Farmers working in vinyl greenhouse had statistically significant risk of having nephrotic syndrome with hemorrhagic fever in this study. The infection might be due to the inhalation of dried dust of mouse secretion that contain microorganism. Use of protective mask could be the better strategy for the prevention and control nephrotic syndrome with hemorrhagic fever in this regard. However, it is necssary to create general awareness and adopt preventive measures.
In South Korea, Scrub typhus is commonly reported disease in autumn and most public health centers focus on Scrub typhus preventive and control measures. However, our study demonstrated a bit higher rate of nephrotic syndrome with hemorrhagic fever (1.9%) and also Leptospirosis (1.5%). This study indicates that nephrotic syndrome with hemorrhagic fever and Leptospirosis might have occurred in the past, but were not diagnosed. Therefore, public health centers should emphaxize on prevention and control of these diseases along with Scrub typhus. In this regard, preventive and control measures should focus on-periodic health appraisal, risks identification, creating general awareness through effective methods and medias, and encourage risk groups to use protective measures regularly.