Pesticide safety and PPE use among farmers in a high-exposure region of Türkiye: An extended theory of planned behavior approach

Objective: Despite widespread pesticide use in Türkiye’s agricultural regions, the actual protective behaviors of farmers remain underexplored. This study investigates personal protective equipment (PPE) use among farmers in Salihli, a district in Manisa with high pesticide intensity, through the lens of the extended theory of planned behavior (ETPB). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 240 farmers from 15 villages, using face-to-face interviews to collect detailed sociodemographic, environmental, and psychosocial data. PPE use was evaluated using a structured scale aligned with ETPB constructs, and statistical associations were examined using t-tests and chi-square analyses. Results: Although most farmers expressed awareness of pesticide risks, 66% reported unsafe PPE practices, particularly neglecting masks, gloves, and goggles. Surprisingly, an inverse relationship was observed between safe PPE use and ETPB constructs such as attitude, perceived control, and behavioral intention. Education, prior PPE training, and frequency of pesticide use were positively associated with safer behaviors, while habitual and structural factors often undermined intention-based decision-making. Conclusion: This study highlights critical gaps in the predictive power of traditional behavioral models in real-world agricultural settings. The findings call for rethinking intervention strategies-shifting from purely knowledge-based approaches to those that also address structural barriers, affordability, and entrenched habits.