Study of Literature: Health Belief Model Components Influencing the Use of Personal Protective Equipment among Farmers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55606/ijhs.v6i1.6893Keywords:
Farmers, Health Belief Model, Personal Protective Equipment, Pesticide Exposure, Protective BehaviorAbstract
Pesticide exposure remains a major occupational risk for farmers, while the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is still low. This literature review aims to identify Health Belief Model (HBM) components that influence PPE use among farmers. Literature searches were conducted through Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink using the keywords “Health Belief Model”, “PPE”, “farmers”, and “pesticides”. Articles published from 2019–2024 with observational or relevant qualitative designs were included. Ten studies met the criteria. The review showed that perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy contribute to PPE use behavior. Perceived barriers and low self-efficacy were the most frequent obstacles, while cues to action and perceived benefits were strong facilitators. Improving farmers’ awareness of pesticide risks, ensuring PPE availability, and strengthening health education interventions are essential to enhance protective behavior. Future research should emphasize community-based interventions, policy support, and culturally appropriate strategies to promote consistent PPE use among agricultural workers globally and sustainably.
Downloads
References
Abdollahzadeh, G., & Sharifzadeh, M. S. (2021). Predicting farmers' intention to use PPE for prevent pesticide adverse effects: an examination of the health belief model (HBM). Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 20(1), 40-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2020.11.001.
Abdollahzadeh, G., & Sharifzadeh, M. S. (2021). Predicting farmers’ intention to use PPE for prevent pesticide adverse effects: An examination of the Health Belief Model (HBM). Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 20(1), 40–47.
Ahmadipour, H., & Nakhei, Z. (2024). The effect of education on safe use of pesticides based on the health belief model. BMC research notes, 17(1), 134. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-024-06797-6.
Ahmadipour, H., & Nakhei, Z. (2024). The effect of education on safe use of pesticides based on the health belief model. BMC Research Notes, 17(134), 1–6. https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13104-024-06797-6
Ataei, P., Gholamrezai, S., Movahedi, R., & Aliabadi, V. (2021). An analysis of farmers’ intention to use green pesticides: The application of the extended theory of planned behavior and health belief model. Journal of Rural Studies, 81, 374-384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.11.003.
Damalas, C. A., & Abdollahzadeh, G. (2016). Farmers' use of personal protective equipment during handling of plant protection products: determinants of implementation. Science of the Total Environment, 571, 730-736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.042.
Mahmoodabad, S. S. M., Ardakani, M. F., Zadeh, N. H., Mahmoodabad, S. S. M., Yoshany, N., & Zhad, M. G. (2019). A survey of the safe use determinants of pesticides in Ardakan pistachio farmers according to the Health Belief Model. Journal of Occupational Health and Epidemiology, 8(1), 21–28. http://johe.rums.ac.ir/files/site1/user_files_2a71e2/nooshin1989-A-10-300-1-6feb3b8.pdf
Mahyuni, E. L., & Harahap, U. (2020). The health belief model in prevention pesticide toxicity. Global Journal of Health Science, 12(6), 135–144. https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/download/0/0/42624/44517
Moradhaseli, S., Ataei, P., Van den Broucke, S., & Karimi, H. (2021). The process of farmers’ occupational health behavior by health belief model: Evidence from Iran. Journal of agromedicine, 26(2), 231-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2020.1837316.
Okoffo, E. D., Mensah, M., & Fosu‑Mensah, B. Y. (2016). Pesticides exposure and the use of personal protective equipment by cocoa farmers in Ghana. Environmental Systems Research, 5(17), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40068-016-0068-z.
Perry, M. J., Marbella, A., & Layde, P. M. (1999). Association of pesticide safety beliefs and intentions with behaviors among farm pesticide applicators. American Journal of Health Promotion, 14(1), 18-21. https://doi.org/10.4278/0890-1171-14.1.18.
Rezaei, R., Seidi, M., & Karbasioun, M. (2019). Pesticide exposure reduction: extending the theory of planned behavior to understand Iranian farmers’ intention to apply personal protective equipment. Safety Science, 120, 527-537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2019.07.044.
Shah, S. S., Dam, J. Van, Fan, L., Kumar, S., Singh, A., Singh, D., Yadav, R. K., Mohrmann, J. B., Geissen, V., Ritsema, C., Group, L. M., Engineering, L. I., Management, C., Engineering, D., Shah, S. S., & Singh, A. (2025). Understanding Farmers’ Protective Behavior Toward Pesticide Use in Northern India: A Health Belief Model Approach Using Pls-Sem and Fsqca. Journal of Health Behavior, 12(1), 1–28. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5347250
Sookhtanlou, M., & Allahyari, M. S. (2021). Farmers’ health risk and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during pesticide application. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(22), 28168-28178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12502-y.
Suharmanto, Hadibrata, E., & Wintoko, R. (2025). Health Belief Model application related to safe work behavior against poisoning prevention in farmers using pesticides. Jurnal Ilmiah STIKES Yarsi Mataram, 15(1), 53–62. https://journal.stikesyarsimataram.ac.id/index.php/jik/article/view/432/210
Temesgen, A., Yenew, C., Bayeh, G. M., Ejigu, A. G., Gebeyehu, A. A., Tsega, T. D., ... & Yeshiwas, A. G. (2025). Assessing pesticide handling practices and predictors among farm workers in Awi zonal administration using health belief model. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 33635. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09135-3.
Temesgen, A., Yenew, C., Bayeh, G. M., Ejigu, A. G., Gebeyehu, A. A., Tsega, T. D., Ahmed, A. F., Yemata, G. A., Yirdaw, G., Tsega, S. S., Anteneh, R. M., Enawgaw, A. S., Mekonen, H., & Kebede, A. M. (2025). Assessing pesticide handling practices and predictors among farm workers in Awi zonal administration using health belief model. Scientific Reports, 15(33), 1–11.
Thapa, S., Thapa, B., Bhandari, R., Jamkatel, D., Acharya, P., Rawal, S., Bista, S., Singh, R., Prasai, A., Bharati, S., & Basnet, A. (2021). Knowledge on Pesticide Handling Practices and Factors Affecting Adoption of Personal Protective Equipment : A Case of Farmers from Nepal. Advances in Agriculture, 20(21), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5569835.
Ulandari, R. T., Purba, I. G., Oktivaningrum, R., Saci, M. A. A., Hasyim, H., Ardillah, Y., & Putri, D. A. (2024). Determinants of personal protective equipment use behavior among female farmers of childbearing age exposed to pesticides. Jurnal Ilmu Kesehatan Masyarakat, 15(2), 181–194.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal Of Health Science

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.




