Exposição de mulheres do meio rural a agrotóxicos em um município da região das Missões, RS

Abstract

Brazil has an intense use of agricultural insums in its national production, among which pesticides stand out. Rio Grande do Sul (RS) ranks third in the ranking among the Brazilian states that most commercialize pesticides. Given the complexity of the theme health and pesticides, the increasing consumption of these chemical compounds, the economy based on agriculture and scientific studies evidencing the potential risk to human health, and particularly sensitivity in women, is that the objective of the study is to verify the forms of exposure of women living in rural areas to pesticides, in a municipality in the Missions Region, RS. This study has a cross-sectional design of a quantitative nature, with descriptive and analytical approach. The scenario was a municipality located in the Missions Region in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The participants were 110 women living in the rural area of the municipality from 18 years of age onwards. Data were produced through the application of a standardized questionnaire, after approval by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Fronteira Sul (UFFS). Statistical analysis was performed using the R software (3.4.3), with chisquare and Fisher's exact test, considering a 5% significance level. The results of the questions investigated in the research are presented as follows: sociodemographic characteristics of women, characterization of properties and factors of exposure to pesticides, occupational exposure of women, exposure and use of pesticides, symptoms and medical care, sexual and reproductive health of women, issues related to women's health and comorbidities of women. It was found that women living in rural areas are exposed to pesticides due to their occupation, the location of homes close to areas where pesticides are applied, clothes washing habits and the lack of use of EPIs. Finally, it was verified the need to implement strategies for evaluation and management of exposure factors, fundamental for the surveillance of women's health and the general population.