Health Risk of Potato Farmers Exposed to Overuse of Chemical Pesticides in Iran.

Background: Potato is the main crop of Ardabil Plain (accounting for one-fifth of potato production in Iran). Its health hazard risk to farmers is rising due to the increasing rate of pesticide use. The present study analyzes potato farmers' health hazard risk in the use of chemical pesticides. Methods: The rate of pesticide use by farmers (n = 370) was first compared with the recommended dosage (on pesticide label). Then, a composite index was employed to estimate the health hazard risk of farmers during pesticide use, and the variables accounting for pesticide overuse and nonoveruse were analyzed. Safety behavior was examined in four steps, namely of pesticide purchase and storage, preparation, application, and postapplication. Results: It was found that 74.6 percent of potato farmers used pesticides in higher concentrations than the recommended dosage. The higher average rate of pesticide use versus recommendation (label instruction) was related to Chlorpyrifos and Trifluralin, and the highest average health hazard risk among farmers was related to the use of Chlorpyrifos and Metribuzin. Farmers with a higher risk of health hazard displayed much lower safety behavior than the other farmers at all steps of pesticide use. Conclusion: The most important variables discriminating the health hazard risk of farmers' overuse included health behavior identity, attitude, knowledge and awareness, and cues to action. Therefore, using social media, holding local exhibitions, and engaging local leaders and skilled farmers in the region to improve farmers' attitudes and health behavior identity toward the dangers of chemical pesticides can play a significant role in motivating farmers' display of overuse preventive behaviors.

Modeling farmers' intention for safe pesticide use: the role of risk perception and use of information sources.

Intention for safe pesticide use plays a crucial role in the mode of pesticide spraying, but several factors are involved in the formation of intention by farmers. This work focused on the levels of farmers' perception of pesticide risks (i.e., toxicity levels, health, and environmental effects) and utilization of information sources and examined their impact on intention for safe pesticide use in rural Iran. Most farmers (53%) showed low levels of risk perception by pesticide use and reported poor use of the available information sources about pesticides. Pesticide retailers were mentioned as the primary information point of farmers. In addition, almost half of the farmers (49.2%) expressed worryingly negative intention for safe pesticide use. Perception of pesticide risks and utilization of information sources were significantly correlated with age and spraying experience (P < 0.01), while intention for safe pesticide use was significantly correlated with farming experience (P < 0.05) and spraying experience (P < 0.05). Analysis with structural equation modeling showed that perception of pesticide risks and use of information sources together explained 80% of the variability in farmers' intention. Moreover, perception of pesticide risks (P < 0.01) and employment of information sources (P < 0.05) had a positive relationship with intention for safe handling of pesticides, thus showing a predictive link with intention. Therefore, promoting farmers' perception of pesticide risks and providing credible information sources are essential for improving intention for safe pesticide use among farmers.

Farmers' health risk and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during pesticide application.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is always considered the last and sometimes the most important safety shield against pesticides' hazards health risks. The spread of pests and low-quality pesticides, especially in developing countries, has increased health hazard potential among farmers. The present study aimed to assess farmers' health risks when using PPE (composite index) by exploring its most important predictive factors. A sample of 370 farmers in Ardabil province, Iran, was selected based on the multistage sampling method. The results reveal that most farmers use three types of PPE when applying pesticides. Based on their perception of pesticides' health risk, the number of PPE used differs. The highest health hazard in using PPE and the minimum perception of health risks caused by pesticides among farmers are related to the pesticides Paraquat and Chlorpyrifos. Also, the most important predictive factors of the composite index were found to be farm size, pesticides' health risk perception, previous experiences with harmful effects of chemical pesticides on health (especially among large-scale farmers), training courses, and ability to afford PPE-related costs, respectively. Accordingly, farmers' safety and health programs in the region should focus on reducing or replacing the mentioned high-risk pesticides. Reducing government subsidies for high-risk pesticides, establishing government subsidies for farmers' PPE, providing extension training (especially for small-scale farmers), and receiving ongoing training feedback to improve farmers' health risk perception of pesticides and the need to use PPE will effectively reduce farmers' health risks.