Factors associated with pesticide safety practices in farmworkers Work conducted while LL Strong was at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Abstract

Background Farmworkers and their families are exposed to pesticides through multiple pathways. Few studies have examined the frequency with which farmworkers engage in pesticide safety practices and the factors associated with their adoption. Methods Using a large sample of farmworkers (n = 554), we evaluated relationships between pesticide safety behaviors and farmworkers' beliefs, training history, handling of pesticides at work, perceived occupational exposure, and employers' provision of personal protective equipment. Results Performing behaviors at work was determined largely by whether personal protective equipment was provided. For home behaviors, female gender, living in a labor camp, being trained in the last 5 years, handling pesticides directly, and not perceiving organizational barriers to protecting oneself were associated with taking more precautions. Conclusions These findings call for interventions that involve and engage multiple stakeholders to increase adoption of pesticide safety behaviors and reduce pesticide exposure in farmworkers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 51:69–81, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.