Abstract

This study was purposed to apply Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior to workers using personal protective equipment. For this purpose, occupational health nurses conducted a survey of 173 male workers who were working at 6 different factories during the perid from August to October 2003. The score of each variable related to the Theory of Planned Behavior was calculated: attitude (3.74); subjective norm(4.10); and perceived behavioral control(3.48). Four preceding factors were also assessed: behavioral belief(3.63); outcome evaluation (4.05); normative belief (4.20); and motivation to comply(4.03). Analysing the results, we found that two factors of the Theory of Planned Behavior are important in this case, which were subjective norm and perceived behavioral control that were found to be in a strong positive linkage with the use of personal protective equipment. Thus enhancing subjective norm and perceived behavioral control must be the most important goal of health education for workers who must use personal protective equipment. In addition, though behavioral intention, an intermediate factor of the Theory of Planned Behavior, was not measured in this study, subsequent studies are expected to include the factor in their models.