Christos A. Damalas|Spyridon D. Koutroubas
Farmers’ Training on Pesticide Use Is Associated with Elevated Safety Behavior
Democritus University of Thrace|Democritus University of Thrace
occupational exposure pesticides agricultural applications may cause acute longterm health effects farmers thus research factors reduce exposure useful however studies relevance effectiveness training limited association previous training form intensive seminars relating pesticide use eg use spraying equipment application parameters use personal protective equipment risks human health environment farmers knowledge behavior pesticide use studied via selfreporting method purposive sample 82 trained nontrained farmers trained farmers showed higher levels knowledge pesticide use higher levels beliefs pesticide hazard control higher levels safety behavior nontrained farmers knowledge pesticide use beliefs regarding pesticide hazard control significantly correlated safety behavior groups farmers concerning farmers beliefs regarding pesticide hazard control trained farmers likely think safety precautions work well less likely feel little control avoiding pesticide hazards overall previous training associated increased levels farmers knowledge pesticides beliefs pesticide hazard control accompanied elevated safety behavior farmers thus connected lower occupational exposure pesticides interventions facilitate knowledge compliance safety behaviors become priority decreasing exposure pesticides among farmers