Exogenous poisoning by pesticides in rural workers and relationship with local productive aggregates in Pernambuco

Abstract

Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of rural workers intoxicated by pesticides in the state of Pernambuco, identifying the correspondence with local productive clusters. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed, using data on intoxications recorded in the National System of Notifiable Diseases, from 2007 to 2013. Data were categorized according to individual, social, and occupational variables, occurrence of intoxication and distribution of cases according to Health Regions. The case records were compared with local productive clusters to verify the relationship with economic activities. Results: There was a predominance of oral acute case records in men of productive age, brown, informal, with low schooling. The highest number of notifications was observed in the regions that presented productive aggregates related to the subsectors of extraction and production of non-metallic minerals, agriculture, and textile industry. Conclusion: It was highlighted the high underreporting and failures in the records, impairing the development of actions to rural workers who use pesticides.