Predictors of safety behavior among Jiroft-city greenhouse spray workers based on protection motivation theory in 2016

Abstract EN

Background : In recent decades, unsafe use of pesticides has caused different cancers in human beings as well as damages to environment and organisms.

Objectives : The present study aimed to determine the predictors of safety behavior among greenhouses spray workers in Jiroft city based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT).

Methods : This cross-sectional study with descriptive-correlation approach was conducted in 2016 on 229 greenhouse spray workers in Jiroft city selected via proportional stratified random sampling using a researcher-made questionnaire.

The questionnaire consisted of demographic variables and PMT constructs such as perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, costs, rewards, fear, selfefficacy, response-efficacy, and protection motivation, as well as safety behaviors.

Results : All workers were male in the age range of 19 to 72 years, most of whom (47.6%) had previously been poisoned by pesticides.

The mean scores of all the PMT constructs were in range of 50% to 75% except for perceived rewards that its mean score was between 75% and 100%.

There was a significant correlation between response-efficacy and all the constructs at P < 0.01, except for the perceived rewards that was significant at P < 0.05.

Moreover, a significant correlation was found between all the constructs other than perceived rewards and fear (P < 0.01).

The predicted amount of spray workers’ preventive behaviors by protection motivation theory constructs was 41% and the role of perceived vulnerability ( = 0.310), perceived severity ( = 0.303), self-efficacy ( = 0.166), and response-efficacy ( = 0.140) was greater than the role of other constructs.

Conclusions : Concerning predictive power of protection motivation theory constructs for safety behaviors related to spray workers’ health and due to the important role of perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, self-efficacy, and response-efficacy, educational interventions are necessary for training protective principles to prevent health problems resulted from exposure to pesticides in workers.