The misuse of personal protective equipment (PPE) during pesticide application was investigated among smallholders in Colombia. The integrative agent-centered (IAC) framework and a logistic regression approach were adopted.
The results suggest that the descriptive social norm was significantly influencing PPE use.
The following were also important: (1) having experienced pesticide-related health problems; (2) age; (3) the share of pesticide application carried out; and (4) the perception of PPE hindering work. Interestingly, the influence of these factors differed for different pieces of PPE. Since conformity to the social norm is a source of rigidity in the system, behavioral change may take the form of a discontinuous transition.
In conclusion, five suggestions for triggering a transition towards more sustainable PPE use are formulated: (1) diversifying targets/tools; (2) addressing structural aspects; (3) sustaining interventions in the long-term; (4) targeting farmers' learning-by-experience; and (5) targeting PPE use on a collective level.
2010-02-19
Eng.
International journal of occupational and environmental health : official journal of the International Commission on Occupational Health
Unit for Social and Industrial Ecology, Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Switzerland. giuseppe.feola [at] geo.uzh.ch
Int J Occup Environ Health. ;16(1):11-23
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