Factors Associated with Preventive Health Behaviors Regarding Dust Exposure of Workers in Stone Crushing Mills in Saraburi, Thailand

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess factors relating to the preventive health behaviors regarding dust exposure among 302 workers of 26 stone-crushing mills. A study was conducted from March to August, 2018. Data were collected using questionnaires developed by the researcher along with respirable dust sampling in the working area. Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis were used to analyze data. The findings revealed 16 factors significantly associated with preventive health behaviors due to dust exposure of workers (P<0.05). The 7 influencing variables included history of smoking, physical activity, working hours daily, perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers, enabling factors and respirable dust concentration in the working area as tested using regression analysis. A regression model was run to predict the preventive health behaviors regarding dust exposure of workers from the 7 variables. These variables could significantly predict the preventive health behaviors regarding dust exposure of workers totaled 44.7% (R²=0.447). Therefore, efforts should be made to manage those variables by designing appropriate activities to reduce undesirable health behaviors of dust exposure.