A Survey-Based Assessment of Awareness Regarding Parthenium hysterophorus in a Rural Population of North India

Background Parthenium hysterophorus is a poisonous weed that has spread across the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent. It is a common cause of dermatitis similar to other members of the family, such as ragweeds in the United States and chrysanthemums in Europe. Despite the common occurrence of the plant in the environment, the general population does not seem to be aware of its adverse effects. This cross-sectional study was conducted with the aim of assessing the awareness of P. hysterophorus in the local rural population. Methodology A questionnaire was designed by an expert panel consisting of three dermatologists after a bibliological survey and collection of published literature on P. hysterophorus. All adult patients >18 years of age approaching the outpatient department of dermatology at our tertiary health care center were included in a consecutive sampling manner. Patients with an unsound mind or those who refused to provide consent were excluded from the study. Results A total of 250 patients participated in the study, of whom 56.8% were male and 43.2% were female, with ages ranging from 18 to 80 years. The majority of the participants were farmers by occupation. Three-fourths of the participants (187, 74.8%) were able to identify the plant. Maximum participants (144, 57.6%) did not know about the ill effects of Parthenium, and 148 (59.2%) did not know about the method of controlling its spread. Conclusions The study was conducted among 250 respondents from a rural community in North India. Despite almost 75% of participants identifying the weed, more than half were neither aware of its ill effects nor knew about the methods of control. Furthermore, most participants were educated individuals yet remained ignorant. Emphasis needs to be made on awareness campaigns about the fast-spreading Parthenium and its ill effects.