Pesticide safety behaviours among agricultural workers and farmers: A cross‐sectional study.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the pesticide safety behaviours and related factors among cabbage farmers in Kalaw Township, Myanmar. Background: Unsafe chemical pesticide practices affect farmers' health and the environment. Understanding pesticide safety behaviours is necessary for healthcare providers to protect agriculture workers against unwanted adverse health effects. Methods: The cross‐sectional study was conducted among 195 cabbage farmers from March to May 2019. Safety behaviours and factors applied in the PRECEDE–PROCEDE model as a framework were assessed using questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify any associations. Results: Altogether, 72.1% of the farmers had a low level of safety behaviours. Goggles and masks were rarely used before and during pesticide applications. All of the farmers experienced adverse health effects after using pesticides. The attitudes toward pesticide poisoning; support from family, co‐workers and healthcare providers; and the availability of personal protective equipment were significantly associated with safety behaviours. Conclusion: Our data provide novel empirical evidence for an opportunity to design effective nursing interventions to promote pesticide safety behaviours among Myanmar agricultural workers. Nurses should pay more attention to promoting comprehensive interventions to reduce both exposure and health effects among agricultural workers through the involvement of supported stakeholders. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Farmers and agricultural workers have extensively used pesticides in all steps of cultivation and face a greater risk of pesticide exposure, which could result in adverse health effects.Owing to the lack of research on community health promotion conducted in Myanmar, the burden of the consequences and adverse effects of pesticides remains a significant health issue. What this paper adds? Findings reveal a clear framework for better understanding and assessing pesticide safety behaviours among agricultural workers and farmers in Myanmar.Findings contribute new knowledge for nursing community health promotion by enhancing understanding of multilevel factors, including international and external factors, associated with safety behaviours among agricultural workers and farmers. The implications of this paper: Nurses and other healthcare professionals should be aware of the importance of preventing adverse health effects among agricultural workers in the community and interventions aimed at promoting safety behaviours should be focused not only on individuals but also on the involvement of social supports—particularly family and co‐workers.Nursing policymakers should consider strengthening the nursing role in the recognition of pesticide risk exposure and health outcomes, management of pesticide poisoning and exposure and prevention of pesticide‐related health conditions both in nursing education and nursing practice.Local authorities and policymakers should focus their attention on health promotion and health services to promote safety behaviours when using pesticides, and treatment and extension services should be provided for cases of suspected pesticide poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]