Perfil ocupacional de trabalhadores rurais expostos a agrotóxicos na Região das Missões, RS

Abstract

The Brazil has an intensive use of agricultural inputs in its national production, among them stand out pesticides. In turn, the Rio Grande do Sul leads in the fourth place in the ranking of the states that most commercialize pesticides in the country. The farmers make up the population group most exposed to pesticides, since their handling is part of their work activity. The study had to objective to analyze the occupational profile of rural workers exposed to pesticides in the Region of Missões, RS. Quantitative research, with a cross-sectional, descriptive and explicative design. It was used random sampling by conglomerates in two-stage, with selected 12 municipalities in the first internship and 292 farmers in the second internship. The study included rural workers aged 18 years or over, with at least 15 hours a week in agricultural activities and using pesticides. In obtaining the data, the first stage consisted of an interview in the agricultural establishments through a data collection instrument prepared by the authors, with sociodemographic variables, time of pesticide use, amount and type of pesticides, practices during the preparation and pesticide application, previous poisoning and rural workers perceptions of the risk of pesticide use. Secondly, the cholinesterase was measured in a blood sample and the number of micronuclei in the oral mucosa. Statistical analysis was performed in software R (3.4.3), with a chi-square test to verify the association between exposure factors and main variables (risk perception and use of complete PPE), considering a 5% level of significance. As results main, it was verified that many rural workers do not associate the use of pesticides with intoxication symptoms. In Santo Antônio das Missões, RS, the exposed group presented a higher incidence of micronuclei when compared to the individuals of the group not exposed to pesticides. The values for the exams erythrocyte cholinesterase are within the reference standards, not presenting significant difference between the groups. Contrary results are observed for levels cholinesterase plasma, presenting a significant difference between the groups exposed and not exposed to pesticides. Finally, there is a need for public policies to monitor rural workers exposed to pesticides.