Presenteeism and Low Work Performance Among Fruit Farm Workers in Northeast Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: The "decision" to go to work, or remain absent, when unwell undermines worker energy. I is therefore understandable that low work performance is one of the main consequences of the act of presenteeism. This study evaluated the association between presenteeism, and absolute and relative work performance among fruit farm workers in Northeast Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study investigated 340 paid employees of both sexes, aged 18 years or over, who worked during the 2019 irrigated fruit harvest in the municipality of Petrolina, Northeast Brazil. Absolute and relative work performance were measured using the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire. Workers who answered "one or more days" to the question "How many days have you worked this season when you were injured or unwell?" were considered presenteeists. Poisson regression with robust variance models was used to estimate the prevalence ratios of the main associations, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Presenteeist workers presented lower absolute and relative work performance than non-presenteeist workers according to the strata for most of the investigated factors. The associations between presenteeism, and absolute (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.31) and relative work performance (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.45) remained strong, even after multiple adjustments for other relevant variables. CONCLUSION: Presenteeist fruit culture workers self-assessed their work performance as lower than non-presenteeist ones.

Analysis of mitochondrial DNA copy number variation in Brazilian farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides.

The use of pesticide use has been linked to the higher production of reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress, which in turn can cause genomic instability. A marker for instability is the copy number variation of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNAcn), which has been found to be altered in diverse human diseases, including tumors. This research aimed to examine the variation of mtDNAcn in individuals occupationally exposed to pesticides. Real-time PCR assays were conducted on 154 individuals (78 exposed and 76 non-exposed). Pesticide-exposed ndividuals exhibited a significant reduction in mtDNAcn (1.11 ± 0.37mtDNAcn/genome) compared to non-exposed individuals (1.30 ± 0.33mtDNAcn/genome; p = 0.001). The multivariate analysis indicated that individuals who reported using haloxyfop and copper sulfate demonstrated an increase (ß = 0.200, p = 0.053) and a decrease (ß=-0.2, p = 0.021), respectively, in mtDNAcn. In conclusion, our findings suggest that chronic exposure to pesticides results in changes in mtDNAcn.

Rural work in the sugarcane sector and its influences on health: scoping review.

Since the 2000s, a growing number of studies have been conducted that evaluate rural working conditions in sugarcane plantations. However, there is a need to organize their findings and compile the measures they suggest to protect workers' health. The objective of this review was to map scientific publications on rural work at sugarcane plantations and its influence on the health of the industry's workers. The methodological approach adopted was a scoping review, performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. Literature searches were conducted in December 2019 using the Cochrane, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde databases. The inclusion criteria were original or review studies that answer the research question, with full text available in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, using qualitative or quantitative approaches. Articles were excluded if they did not answer the primary question, if they were duplicates, opinion pieces, theoretical reflections, books, guidelines, theses, or dissertations. A total of 193 studies were identified, 12 of which met the eligibility criteria. These studies showed that sugarcane workers are exposed to thermal, chemical, biological, physiological, mechanical, and emotional risks. The main health problems observed were respiratory, circulatory, renal, and musculoskeletal problems, genotoxic agents, and work-related accidents. It was therefore possible to conclude that the sugarcane work environment can impact workers' health and disease processes.

Desde os anos 2000, é crescente o número de estudos que avaliam as condições de trabalho rural da cultura da cana-de-açúcar. Contudo, falta ordenação dos achados e das medidas sugeridas para preservar a saúde dos trabalhadores. Objetivou-se mapear a produção científica sobre o trabalho rural nas culturas de cana-de-açúcar e suas influências sobre a saúde dos trabalhadores da área. Como instrumento metodológico, optou-se pela revisão de escopo, norteada pela checklist Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. O levantamento bibliográfico foi realizado em dezembro de 2019, nas bases de dados Cochrane, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Como critérios de inclusão, os estudos deveriam responder à questão norteadora desta pesquisa, estar disponíveis na íntegra em inglês, português ou espanhol, de abordagem qualitativa ou quantitativa, estudos primários e revisões. Excluíram-se artigos que não responderam ao questionamento principal, que estavam em duplicidade nas bases de dados, artigos de opinião, reflexão teórica, livros, diretrizes, teses e dissertações. Foram encontrados 193 estudos; destes, 12 atenderam aos critérios de elegibilidade e mostraram que os trabalhadores são expostos a riscos térmicos, químicos, biológicos, fisiológicos, mecânicos e emocionais. Os principais agravos à saúde observados foram problemas respiratórios, circulatórios, renais, osteomusculares, genotóxicos e acidentes de trabalho. Portanto, foi possível concluir que o ambiente ocupacional do setor da cana-de-açúcar pode influenciar o processo de saúde e doença dos trabalhadores.

Self-rated health status and associated factors in rural workers.

BACKGROUND: Self-rated health status can be considered a good predictor of morbidity and mortality and has been used due to its easy assessment and applicability. The instrument is efficient for understanding sociodemographic, environmental and clinical conditions that may be related to the self-rated health status. Thus, this study aims to analyze the self-assessment of health status in rural workers and its association with socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle, clinical condition and work characteristics. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study carried out with 787 male and female rural reporting agriculture as their main source of income in the municipality of Santa Maria de Jetibá. A simple and direct question was used "In general, compared to people your age, how do you rate your own state of health?" to see how rural workers rate their current health status. The independent variables analyzed were socioeconomic, clinical, health and work conditions. The magnitude of the associations was evaluated by means of hierarchical logistic regression. RESULTS: It was found that 42.1% of rural workers self-rated their health status as regular or poor. Belonging to socioeconomic classes C (OR = 1.937; 95% CI = 1.009-3.720) or D/E (OR = 2.280; 95% CI = 1.178-4.415), being overweight (or having excess weight) (OR = 1.477; 95% CI = 1.086-2.008), multimorbidity (OR = 1.715; 95% CI = 1.201-2.447) and complex multimorbidity (OR = 1.738; 95% CI = 1.097-2.751) were risk factors for worse self-rated health. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that chronic diseases, socioeconomic status and overweight are risk factors for negative self-rated health. The identification of these determinants through self-rated status can support the planning of actions aimed at improving the health of the rural population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Health Sciences Center of the Federal University of Espírito Santo (Protocol No. 2091172; CAAE No. 52839116.3.0000.5060). All research participants gave their informed consent.

Prevalence of Presenteeism in Agricultural Workers: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Presenteeism, the act of showing up to work when one is ill, is a prevailing global phenomenon, at rates varying from 30% to 90%. Presenteeism results in consequences to the worker's health, like pain, depression, and poor work ability, as well as consequences to the organization like productivity loss, negative feelings and engagement of coworkers, and risk of accidents. Agriculture is an important sector for the global economy, providing employment for 27% of the global workforce. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of presenteeism and its associated factors among agricultural workers. METHODS: A systematic review was performed through searches at PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases. Observational studies (cross-sectional, cohort or case-control) that reported the prevalence of presenteeism in agricultural workers were eligible. FINDINGS: A total of 139 studies were found but only two met the inclusion criteria. The selected studies reported prevalence rates of presenteeism of 5.0% and 58.2%. Poor work safety climate, female workers, workers dissatisfied with management, and sunscreen not available at the workplace were strongly associated with the prevalence of presenteeism. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: We concluded that the scientific literature about the prevalence of presenteeism among agricultural workers is scarce. Future studies about presenteeism among agricultural workers should measure the prevalence and/or incidence of presenteeism by using the epidemiological approach and, furthermore, should integrate these measures with the work productivity approach.

The Incidence of the XRCC1 rs25487 and PON1 rs662 Polymorphisms in a Population from Central Brazil: Patterns in an Area with a High Level of Agricultural Activity.

In Brazil, high levels of agricultural activity are reflected in the consumption of enormous amounts of pesticides. The production of grain in Brazil has been estimated at 289.8 million tons in the 2022 harvest, an expansion of 14.7% compared with 2021. These advances are likely associated with a progressive increase in the occupational exposure of a population to pesticides. The Paraoxonase 1 gene (PON1) is involved in liver detoxification; the rs662 variant of this gene modifies the activity of the enzyme. The repair of pesticide-induced genetic damage depends on the protein produced by the X-Ray Repair Cross-Complementing Group 1 gene (XRCC). Its function is impaired due to an rs25487 variant. The present study describes the frequencies of the rs662 and rs25487 and their haplotypes in a sample population from Goiás, Brazil. It compares the frequencies with other populations worldwide to verify the variation in the distribution of these SNPs, with 494 unrelated individuals in the state of Goiás. The A allele of the rs25487 variant had a frequency of 26% in the Goiás population, and the modified rs662 G allele had a frequency of 42.8%. Four haplotypes were recorded for the rs25487 (G > A) and rs662 (A > G) markers, with a frequency of 11.9% being recorded for the A-G haplotype (both modified alleles), 30.8% for the G-G haplotype, 14.3% for the A-A haplotype, and 42.8% for the G-A haplotype (both wild-type alleles). We demonstrated the distribution of important SNPs associated with pesticide exposure in an area with a high agricultural activity level, Central Brazil.

Association between the time of physical laboral activities and leisure over shoulder pain in fruitculture workers: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Fruitculture workers are exposed to shoulder pain disorders due to long working times in overhead activities. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the association between the time of physical work and leisure activities over the perception of shoulder pain intensity in fruit growing workers. METHODS: This is a descriptive and correlational cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 180 fruit-growing workers. Multivariable logistic regression was used, with an estimate of the Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. The dependent variable: Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) (0-10 points), was categorized as low and high, with cutoff points of NPRS > 3 and NPRS > 4, and was associated with the independent variables (level of physical activity, personal, labour and psychosocial). RESULTS: Workers which are insufficiently active in leisure time are more likely to report high-intensity shoulder pain, NPRS > 3 (OR: 2.39; p = 0.049) and NPRS > 4 (OR: 2.85; p = 0.036). In addition, working time in overhead activities is a risk factor for high-intensity pain for NPRS > 3 and NPRS > 4 (OR = 1.01; p < 0.001). Underweight and normal-weight workers were less likely to report shoulder pain in NPRS > 3 (OR = 0.35; p = 0.020) and in NPRS > 4 (OR = 0.20; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Fruit-growing workers had a high prevalence of severe shoulder pain. In addition, workers who are insufficiently active at leisure, overweight and obese are more likely to report severe pain. It was observed that overhead tasks increase the chances of reporting high-intensity shoulder pain among workers.

Condições de trabalho e saúde de trabalhadoras rurais: uma revisão integrativa / Work and health conditions of women rural workers: an integrative review

RESUMO As mudanças na força de trabalho rural mundial ocorreram, a partir de 1980, sobretudo, com o aumento da participação feminina no trabalho assalariado. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura publicada entre os anos de 2010 a 2020 a respeito das condições de trabalho e saúde de trabalhadoras rurais. As bases de dados consultadas foram BVS, SciELO e PubMed, e 43 estudos, 11 nacionais e 32 internacionais, foram analisados. Os resultados apontam uma diversidade de atividades de trabalho exercidas por mulheres rurais, de forma assalariada, autônoma e em cooperativas, bem como atividades não remuneradas. As condições de trabalho em empregos assalariados, em geral, são precarizadas, com contratos temporários, baixos salários e longas jornadas de trabalho. No trabalho autônomo e em cooperativas, os estudos relatam maior controle das atividades, autonomia financeira e maior satisfação das trabalhadoras. Destacou-se, em todas as formas de trabalho, a divisão sexual e a sobrecarga de trabalho com o acréscimo às atividades produtivas, das atividades reprodutivas não remuneradas, serviço doméstico e de cuidado. Distúrbios osteomusculares, sofrimentos e adoecimentos mentais, alta exposição e intoxicações por agrotóxicos e a violência no ambiente de trabalho e doméstico foram identificados como preponderantes nas relações saúde-trabalho vivenciadas por essas trabalhadoras rurais.

ABSTRACT Changes in the global rural workforce took place from 1980 onwards, above all, with the increase in female participation in salaried work. An integrative review of the literature on the working and health conditions of rural women workers, published from 2010 to 2020, was carried out. The databases consulted were BVS, SciELO and PubMed, and 43 studies, 11 national and 32 internationals, were analyzed. The results point to a diversity of work activities performed by rural women, in a salaried, autonomous and cooperative way, as well as unpaid activities. Working conditions in salaried jobs are generally precarious, with temporary contracts, low wages and long working hours. In autonomous work and in cooperatives, studies report greater control of activities, financial autonomy and greater satisfaction of workers. Stood out in all forms of work, the sexual division of labor and the work overload with the addition of productive activities, unpaid reproductive activities, housework and care work. Musculoskeletal disorders, suffering and mental illness, high exposure and poisoning to pesticides and violence in the work and domestic environment were identified as preponderant in the health-work relationships experienced by these rural women workers.

Percepción y factores asociados a la posibilidad de vacunarse contra Covid-19 en trabajadores de la zona rural de Chupaca-Perú, 2021 / Perception and factors associated with the possibility of getting vaccines against Covid-19 in workers in the rural zone of Chupaca-Peru, 2021

Introducción: Se ha determinado la percepción de vacunarse contra la COVID-19 en múltiples poblaciones laborales, pero esto no ha sido medido en población rural, que muchas veces tiene diferencias importantes de la urbana. Objetivo: Determinar los factores sociolaborales asociados a la negativa a la vacunación contra la COVID-19 en trabajadores rurales de la sierra central peruana. Material y Métodos: Estudio transversal analítico, se usó la Escala-VAC-COVID-19 para medir la percepción acerca de la vacunación, esto se cruzó con variables sociolaborales y se obtuvo estadística descriptiva y analítica. Resultados: En el análisis multivariado, los que no querían vacunarse pertenecían al sector agricultura (RPa: 1,88; valor p=0,003), quienes aún no tuvieron la enfermedad (RPa: 1,61; valor p=0,045) o que no sabían si la habían tenido (RPa: 1,85; valor p=0,017). Los que más querían vacunarse eran los del sector salud (RPa: 0,12; valor p=0,031). Conclusión: El mayor porcentaje de negativa a la vacunación estuvo en quienes pertenecían al sector agricultura, quienes aún no tuvieron la enfermedad o que no sabían si la habían tenido, y el mayor porcentaje de aceptación estuvo en el sector salud. (AU)

Introduction: The perception of being vaccinated against COVID-19 has been determined in multiple working populations, but this has not been measured in the rural population, which often has important differences from the urban one. Objective: To determine the sociolaboral factors associated with the refusal of vaccination against COVID-19 in rural workers of the central Peruvian highlands. Material and Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study, the VAC-COVID-19 Scale was used to measure the perception about vaccination, this was crossed with sociolaboral variables and descriptive and analytical statistics were obtained. Results: In the multivariate analysis, those who did not want to be vaccinated belonged to the agricultural sector (PRa: 1.88; p-value=0.003), those who had not yet had the disease (PRa: 1.61; p-value=0.045) or who did not know if they had had it (PRa: 1.85; p-value=0.017). Those who most wanted to be vaccinated were those in the health sector (RPa: 0.12; p-value=0.031). Conclusion: The highest percentage of refusal to vaccination was in those who belonged to the agricultural sector, those who had not yet had the disease or did not know if they had had it, and the highest percentage of acceptance was in the health sector. (AU)

Depression in Brazilian farmers: prevalence and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: The unique characteristics of rural areas and agricultural work can contribute to the genesis of diseases, including mental disorders such as depression. AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with depression symptoms in Brazilian farmers. METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiological study involving 784 farmers of the state of Espírito Santo/Brazil was carried out. Depression was identified using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to assess the associated factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression symptoms among farmers was 16.8% (n = 132). Of those experiencing symptoms, 6.1% (n = 48) we're currently experiencing a depressive episode, and 10.7% (n = 84) a recurrent depressive episodes. The associated factors were: female gender (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.04-2.54), not owning the land (OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.11-2.89), professional dissatisfaction (OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.18-3.35), previous pesticide poisoning (OR 2.87; 95% CI 1.45-5.67), complex multimorbidity (OR 1.95; 95% CI 1.15-3.31) and occurrence of previous depressive episodes (OR 9.83; 95% CI 4.39-21.99). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of depression symptoms was identified among rural workers. Sociodemographic, occupational, clinical, and professional dissatisfaction factors were associated with a higher risk of depression symptoms in this population.

Impact of Pesticides on Human Health in the Last Six Years in Brazil.

Every year, Brazil intensifies its activity in agriculture and, as a result, it has become one of the biggest consumers of pesticides in the world. The high rate of these substances raises environmental and human health concerns. Therefore, we collected papers from PubMed, Scopus, Scielo, and Web of Science databases, from 2015 to 2021. After a blind selection using the software Rayyan QCRI by two authors, 51 studies were included. Researchers from the South and the Southeast Brazilian regions contributed to most publications, from areas that concentrate agricultural commodity complexes. Among the pesticides described in the studies, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides were the most frequent. The articles reported multiple toxic effects, particularly in rural workers. The results obtained can be used to direct policies to reduce the use of pesticides, and to protect the health of the population.

Alterações hepáticas e renais em trabalhadores rurais decorrentes da exposição a agrotóxicos: revisão sistemática / Liver and kidney changes resulting from exposure to pesticides in rural workers: systematic review

O objetivo deste estudo foi revisar a literatura científica acerca da exposição dos trabalhadores rurais aos agrotóxicos e a atuação desses agentes sobre as funções dos sistemas hepático e renal. O estudo em questão se trata de uma revisão sistemática produzida de acordo com a metodologia Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Para esta revisão foram feitas buscas nas bases Medline, PubMed, Scielo e Lilacs, nas quais foram inclusos artigos escritos em português e inglês no período de 2009 a 2018. Os descritores em saúde utilizados para a pesquisa foram: agroquímicos, trabalhadores rurais, saúde do trabalhador e biomarcadores. De 52 artigos selecionados, apenas oito preencheram os critérios de inclusão desta revisão. Após a análise dos oito artigos, pôde-se observar que os marcadores bioquímicos hepáticos citados com maior frequência nos artigos foram as transaminases, aspartato aminotransferase e alanina aminotransferase, presentes em todos os estudos (100%, n=8), seguido da gama-glutamiltransferase encontrada em 75% dos artigos (n=6). Por outro lado, os marcadores renais citados nos artigos foram apenas creatinina e ureia, com uma frequência de 62,5% (n=5) e 50% (n=4), respectivamente. Esses marcadores apresentaram-se dentro da normalidade em todos os estudos. Dessa forma, conclui-se que não houve evidências de alterações nos marcadores renais e hepáticos, porém os artigos relatam a existência de uma diferença entre o grupo exposto, trabalhadores que estavam em contato com agrotóxicos, e o grupo controle.

This study aimed to review the scientific literature about the exposure of rural workers to pesticides and their effects on the functions of the hepatic and renal systems. The study in question is a systematic review produced according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) methodology. For that, we searched the databases of Medline, PubMed, Scielo, and Lilacs, and articles written in Portuguese and English from 2009 to 2018 were included. The health descriptors used for the research were: agrochemicals, rural workers, occupational health, and biomarkers. Only eight out of the 52 articles selected initially met the inclusion criteria for this review. Their analysis showed that the most frequently cited liver biochemical markers were transaminases, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase, present in all studies (100.0%, n=8). These were followed by the range-glutamyltransferase, found in 75.0% of the articles (n=6). On the other hand, the renal markers used in the articles were only creatinine and urea, with a frequency of 62.5% (n=5) and 50.0% (n=4), respectively. These markers were normal in all studies. Thus, we concluded that there was no evidence of changes in renal and hepatic markers. However, the articles do report differences between the exposed group, workers who were in contact with pesticides, and the control group.

Câncer de próstata em trabalhadores rurais expostos a agrotóxicos: revisão de escopo / Prostate cancer in rural workers exposed to agrochemicals: scope review

Desde o início dos anos 2000 é crescente o número de estudos que avaliam a exposição a agrotóxicos e suas consequências para a saúde do trabalhador. Contudo, não há sistematização da produção relacionada ao câncer de próstata em trabalhadores rurais. Assim, objetivou-se mapear a literatura que trata da associação entre a exposição aos agrotóxicos e a ocorrência de câncer de próstata em trabalhadores rurais. Foi realizada uma revisão de escopo nas bases de dados Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINHAL) e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), empregando os descritores "Agrochemicals", "Farmers" e "Prostatic Neoplasms". Dezenove artigos fizeram parte desta revisão. Em dezessete, verificou-se associações entre a ocorrência de câncer de próstata em trabalhadores rurais e a exposição a agrotóxicos. Os fatores de risco relacionados foram: histórico familiar, tabagismo, raça/cor, idade avançada, alterações genéticas, toneladas de soja produzidas e o uso de agrotóxicos específicos. A literatura aponta a existência de consistência e plausibilidade biológica para a ocorrência de câncer de próstata em indivíduos expostos a agrotóxicos que exercem atividades agrícolas.

Since the early 2000s there has been an increasing number of studies evaluating pesticide exposure and its consequences for worker health. However, they are not systematized in relation to prostate cancer in rural workers. We aimed to map the literature dealing with the association between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of prostate cancer in rural workers. A scoping review was conducted in the Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Abstract Literature (CINHAL) and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases. The descriptors "Agrochemicals", "Farmers" and "Prostatic Neoplasms" were employed. Nineteen articles were part of this review. In seventeen articles, associations were found between the occurrence of prostate cancer in rural workers and exposure to agrochemicals. The related risk factors were: family history, smoking, race/color, advanced age, genetic alterations, tons of soybeans produced, and the use of specific pesticides. The literature points to the existence of consistency and biological plausibility for the occurrence of prostate cancer in individuals exposed to pesticides who perform agricultural activities.

Association between awakening cortisol levels and cardiovascular performance in sugarcane rural workers.

Sudden deaths without known causes have been reported among rural workers in the last decade, especially in low and middle-income countries. The current study aimed to analyse the association between awakening cortisol response and cardiovascular performance in rural workers before and after the harvesting period. Fifty-four rural male workers and 48 residents were included (non-rural workers) from a sugarcane production area in São Paulo, Brazil. Morning salivary cortisol were analysed before and 7 months after the beginning of burnt sugarcane harvesting. Cardiovascular performance (blood pressure, pulse pressure and heart rate HR) was evaluated using the Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT). Our findings revealed a negative association between CAR and cardiovascular performance in rural workers at the harvesting period. Specifically, morning cortisol levels significantly increased after seven months of intense harvesting activity, allied to improvements in physical performance, systolic blood pressure and heart rate reactivity to a cardiopulmonary task. No association was observed in the resident group. Altogether, these findings suggest that, at least in the short-term, rural workers presented an adaptive response to the physical demands of sugarcane harvesting work. Longitudinal studies are essential to investigate the long-term effects of harvesting activity on rural workers' health.

Impact of pesticides on human health in the last six years in Brazil

Every year, Brazil intensifies its activity in agriculture and, as a result, it has become one of the biggest consumers of pesticides in the world. The high rate of these substances raises environmental and human health concerns. Therefore, we collected papers from PubMed, Scopus, Scielo, and Web of Science databases, from 2015 to 2021. After a blind selection using the software Rayyan QCRI by two authors, 51 studies were included. Researchers from the South and the Southeast Brazilian regions contributed to most publications, from areas that concentrate agricultural commodity complexes. Among the pesticides described in the studies, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides were the most frequent. The articles reported multiple toxic effects, particularly in rural workers. The results obtained can be used to direct policies to reduce the use of pesticides, and to protect the health of the population.

Implications of health conditions on rural soybean workers' quality of life / Implicaciones de las condiciones de salud en la calidad de vida de los trabajadores rurales de la soja / Implicações das condições de saúde na qualidade de vida de trabalhadores rurais da soja

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the implications of health conditions on rural workers' quality of life in the context of soybean production. Method: a cross-sectional study, with an intentional sample of 299 male rural workers. Data collection took place between October and December 2019. The following instruments were used: World Health Organization Quality Life-bref; Rural Workers' Living & Health Conditions questionnaire; International Physical Activity Questionnaire; Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener. They were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistics, using bivariate (Mann-Whitney; Kruskal-Wallis) and multivariate tests (generalized additive models for location, scale and shape). Results: the presence of a diagnosis of morbidity, alcohol dependence, occupational accidents and absenteeism implied a decrease in workers' quality of life scores. Conclusion: the existence of unfavorable health conditions has a negative impact on rural soybean workers' quality of life.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar las implicaciones de las condiciones de salud en la calidad de vida de los trabajadores rurales en el contexto de la producción de soja. Método: estudio transversal, con una muestra intencional de 299 trabajadores rurales del sexo masculino. La recolección de datos ocurrió entre octubre y diciembre de 2019. Se utilizaron los siguientes instrumentos: World Health Organization Quality Life-bref; Cuestionario de Condiciones de Vida y Salud de los Trabajadores Rurales; International Physical Activity Questionnaire; Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener. Se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva e inferencial, utilizando pruebas bivariadas (Mann-Whitney; Kruskal-Wallis) y multivariadas (modelos aditivos generalizados de ubicación, escala y forma). Resultados: la presencia de diagnóstico de morbilidad, dependencia del alcohol, accidentes de trabajo y ausentismo implicó una disminución en los puntajes de calidad de vida de los trabajadores estudiados. Conclusión: la existencia de condiciones de salud desfavorables impacta negativamente en la calidad de vida de los trabajadores rurales que trabajan en el contexto de la soja.

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar as implicações das condições de saúde na qualidade de vida dos trabalhadores rurais inseridos no contexto de produção da soja. Método: pesquisa transversal a partir de uma amostra por conveniência de 299 homens trabalhadores rurais. A coleta ocorreu entre os meses de outubro e dezembro de 2019. Utilizaram-se os instrumentos: World Health Organization Quality Life-bref; questionário Condições de Vida & Saúde dos Trabalhadores Rurais; International Physical Activity Questionnaire; Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener. Foram analisados via estatística descritiva e inferencial, com aplicação de testes bivariados (Mann-Whitney; Kruskal-Wallis) e multivariados (modelos aditivos generalizados para locação, escala e forma). Resultados: a presença de diagnóstico de morbidade, dependência de álcool, acidente no trabalho e absenteísmo implicaram diminuição dos escores de qualidade de vida dos trabalhadores estudados. Conclusão: a existência de condições de saúde desfavorável repercute negativamente na qualidade de vida dos trabalhadores rurais atuantes no contexto da soja.

Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra e suas contribuições para a Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional durante a pandemia de covid-19 no Brasil / Landless Workers' Movement and its contributions to food security during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Resumo A pandemia de covid-19 agravou a fome e a insegurança alimentar em todo o mundo, causando mobilização dos movimentos sociais para amenizar esse cenário. Este artigo objetiva caracterizar e analisar as ações e a contribuição do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra para a promoção da Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional durante a pandemia no Brasil. A pesquisa documental foi a base para as informações do escopo do estudo. A coleta de dados foi realizada pela busca de documentos por meio de ferramentas de busca online. Os documentos encontrados foram verificados acerca de sua veracidade e examinados pela análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Dentre eles, a maioria são notícias. As ações realizadas foram de doações e vendas de alimentos e doações de sementes para plantio. Os alimentos doados advinham da produção orgânica e agroecológica do movimento. Tais ações ocorreram em diversas regiões do país e foram ao encontro da melhoria do acesso e disponibilidade de alimentos às populações vulnerabilizadas, o que promoveu o acesso a alimentos de qualidade e seguros. Isso demonstra que as ações realizadas pelo movimento contribuíram para o enfrentamento da fome durante a pandemia e destacam a importância dos movimentos do campo na promoção da Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic worsened hunger and food insecurity around the world, leading to mobilization of social movements to alleviate this scenario. This documentary study characterizes and analyzes the Landless Workers' Movement's actions and contributions to promote food security during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Data was collected through online search tools. The documents found were verified for their veracity and analyzed using Bardin's content analysis. Of the documents found, most were news. Donations and sale of food from the movement's organic and agroecological production, and seed donations for planting were the actions carried out. These actions took place in different regions of the country and sought to improve food access and availability to vulnerable populations, thus promoting access to quality and safe food. This demonstrates that the actions carried out by the movement contributed to combating hunger during the pandemic, highlighting the importance of rural movements in promoting food security.

Bases teóricas para promoção da saúde e resistência camponesa: um novo horizonte metodológico / Theoretical bases for peasant health promotion and resistance: a new methodological horizon

RESUMO O agronegócio vem historicamente promovendo a submissão da produção, economia e vida das famílias camponesas, gerando graves danos sanitários a essa parcela da população brasileira. No entanto, a resistência do campesinato perante esse secular processo evidencia que a organização das famílias e comunidades camponesas e o resgate participativo dos conhecimentos agroecológicos locais podem fundamentar estratégias de promoção da saúde que busquem mudanças concretas nesse contexto sanitário vulnerável. O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar pilares que fundamentaram o processo capitalista de submissão camponesa no Brasil e abordagens teórico-prático-epistemológicas que permitem sua superação. Para isso, foram apresentados tanto referenciais para pesquisas e ações que subsidiem famílias e comunidades camponesas em um processo social de autorreconhecimento, autovalorização e utilização dos seus conhecimentos e suas práticas para uma transição agroecológica emancipatória, quanto a experiência ampliada de promoção da saúde desenvolvida por meio desses referenciais em Lavras-MG. A estrutura metodológica participativa apresentada permitiu o desenvolvimento, nesse município, dos passos iniciais e fundamentais de um processo social de organização camponesa em torno de seu modo de vida e economia, tendo a agroecologia como fator determinante para a saúde e para a construção de um contexto mais justo, favorável e promissor.

ABSTRACT Agribusiness has historically promoted the submission of production, economy, and life of peasant families, causing serious health damage to this portion of the Brazilian population. However, the peasantry's resistance to this secular process shows that the organization of families and communities and the participatory rescue of local agroecological knowledge can support health promotion strategies that seek concrete changes in this vulnerable health context. The objective of this work is to present bases that founded the capitalist process of peasant submission in Brazil and also theoretical-practical-epistemological approaches that allow its overcoming. For this, references for research and actions that subsidize peasant families and communities in a social process of self-recognition, self-valorization, and use of their knowledge and practices for an emancipatory agroecological transition are presented, as well as the health promotion expanded experience developed through these references in Lavras-MG, Brazil. The participatory methodological structure presented allowed the development of the initial and fundamental steps of a social process of peasant organization around their way of life and economy, with agroecology as a determining factor for health and for the construction of a fairer, more favorable, and more promising context.

Empoderamento e construção coletiva de estratégias ante vulnerabilidades e situações de risco no uso de agrotóxicos / Empowerment and collective elaboration of strategies based on the vulnerabilities and risk situations in the use of pesticides

RESUMO Este artigo teve como objetivos descrever as vulnerabilidades e as situações de riscos relacionados com o uso de agrotóxicos e suas implicações na saúde dos trabalhadores rurais do município de Miguel Calmon (BA) e dar subsídios a comunidade para a construção coletiva de estratégias de enfrentamento dessa problemática. Estudo do tipo descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, desenvolvido com 98 trabalhadores rurais. Como instrumento, foi utilizado questionário que abordava questões acerca das características sociodemográficas, patológicas, condições de trabalho e exposição a agrotóxico. Os resultados apontam que os trabalhadores rurais apresentam baixa escolaridade e baixa renda familiar. Cerca de 60% referiram utilizar ou já ter utilizado agrotóxicos em suas plantações; destes, 11% citaram já ter sofrido intoxicação, e 80% relataram algum sintoma relacionado com o uso de agrotóxicos. Mesmo com cerca de 40% dos agricultores não utilizando agrotóxicos, apenas 28% relataram ter conhecimento sobre agroecologia ou produção orgânica. Uma roda de conversa foi realizada com a presença de vários atores do município com o objetivo de instigar a comunidade a elaborar estratégias de enfrentamento dos problemas elencados, levantando várias estratégias para contrapor a produção convencional, principalmente, entre os agricultores que desconhecem modelos mais sustentáveis.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to describe some of the vulnerabilities and risk situations related to pesticides and their implications on the health of rural workers in the city of Miguel Calmon, Bahia. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied to random samples of 98 farm workers to obtain data on social, economic, and cultural characteristics, as well as the morbidity related to pesticide poisoning. An event was held in the city with the aim of instigating the community to develop coping strategies These farm workers have low level of schooling and low family incomes. About 60% reported the use of pesticides in their plantations; 11% percent of the population reported poisoning events at some point in their lives and 80% reported symptoms suggestive of pesticide poisoning. Although 40% of farmers did not use pesticides, only 28% reported knowledge about agroecology or organic production. These results were presented at an event in the city and the need to devise projects that address this problem in the region was discussed. The community has listed several strategies to opposing the conventional production for those who don't use pesticides and for those who are unaware of more sustainable ways of agriculture.

Metabolic syndrome components relationship with lipid indices and anthropometric parameters in rural workers: exploratory factor analysis / Relação dos componentes da síndrome metabólica com índices lipídicos e parâmetros antropométricos em trabalhadores rurais: análise fatorial exploratória / Relación de los componentes del síndrome metabólico con índices lipídicos y parámetros antropométricos en trabajadores rurales: análisis factorial exploratório

Background and Objectives: The search for simple and rapid screening indicators for metabolic syndrome (MS) is important due to its high frequency in the adult population. And this aspect is little explored in the rural Brazilian population. The objective of this study was to verify the relationship of MS components with lipid indices and anthropometric parameters in rural workers. Methods: Cross-sectional study with rural workers aged 18 years or older. The MS was determined through harmonized criteria. The fasting glucose (GLI), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, HDL-c and waist circumference (WC); anthropometric parameters: body mass index (BMI), waist/height ratio (WHtR) and body fat percentage (%F); and lipid indices: glycemic triglyceride index (TyG), lipid accumulation product (LAP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI). Exploratory factor analysis was performed that included, in model I, the anthropometric parameters and, in model II, the lipid indices. Results: out of the 167 workers, 21.0% were older adults (≥60 years), 39.5% were male and 61.1% had MS, with a higher prevalence in females. Model II responded to the highest explained variance (78.43%) including metabolic (VAI, LAP, TyG and TG and -HDL-c), cardiometabolic (SBP, DBP and CC) and glycemic factors. Model I explained 70.4% of the variance, which included excess weight, blood pressure and lipid/glycemic factors. Conclusion: the model that included the lipid indices explained the greatest variance observed and the VAI presented the most significant load of this factor.(AU)

Justificativa e Objetivos: A busca por indicadores simples e rápidos de rastreio de síndrome metabólica (SM) é importante, devido a sua alta frequência na população adulta. Contudo, este aspecto é pouco explorado na população rural brasileira. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a relação dos componentes da SM com índices lipídicos e parâmetros antropométricos em trabalhadores rurais. Métodos: Estudo transversal com trabalhadores rurais com 18 anos ou mais. A SM foi determinada pelo critério harmonizado. Foram investigados os seguintes componentes da SM: triglicerídeos (TG), glicose em jejum (GLI), pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) e diastólica (PAD), HDL-c e circunferência da cintura (CC); os parâmetros antropométricos: índice de massa corporal (IMC), relação cintura/estatura (RCE) e percentual de gordura corporal (%G); e os índices lipídicos: índice triglicerídeos glicemia (TyG), produto de acumulação de lipídios (LAP) e índice de adiposidade visceral (VAI). Foi realizada análise fatorial exploratória que incluiu, no modelo I, os parâmetros antropométricos e, no modelo II, os índices lipídicos. Resultados: Dos 167 indivíduos investigados, 21,0% eram idosos (≥60 anos), 39,5% do sexo masculino e 61,1% apresentaram SM, com maior frequência no sexo feminino. O modelo II respondeu a maior variância explicada (78,43%) incluindo os fatores metabólico (VAI, LAP, TyG, TG e o -HDL-c), cardiometabólico (PAS, PAD e CC) e glicêmico. O modelo I explicou 70,4% da variância, que incluiu os fatores excesso de peso, pressão arterial e lipídico/glicêmico. Conclusão: o modelo que incluiu os índices lipídicos explicou a maior variância observada e o VAI apresentou a carga mais significativa desse fator.(AU)

Antecedentes y objetivos: La búsqueda de indicadores de detección simples y rápidos para el síndrome metabólico (SM) es importante debido a su alta frecuencia en la población adulta. Y este aspecto es poco explorado en la población rural brasileña. El objetivo de este estudio fue verificar la relación de los componentes del SM com índices lipídicos e parámetros antropométricos en trabajadores rurales. Métodos: estudio transversal con trabajadores rurales de 18 años o más. El SM fue determinado por criterio armonizado. Se investigaron los seguientes componentes de la SM: triglicéridos (TG), glucosa en ayunas (GLI), presión arterial sistólica (PAS) y diastólica (PAD), HDL-c y circunferencia de cintura (CC); parámetros antropométricos: índice de masa corporal (IMC), relación cintura /talla (WHtR) y porcentaje de grasa corporal (% F); y índices de lípidos: índice glucémico de triglicéridos (TyG), el producto de acumulación de lípidos (LAP) y el índice de adiposidad visceral (VAI). Se realizo um análisis factorial exploratorio que incluyó, em modelo I, los parâmetros antropométricos y, en el modelo II, los índices lipídicos. Resultados: De los 167 trabajadores, 21,0% eran ancianos (≥60 años), 39,5% hombres y 61,1% tenían SM, con mayor frecuencia en mujeres. El modelo II respondió a la mayor varianza explicada (78,43%) incluyendo factores metabólico (VAI, LAP, TyG y TG y -HDL-c), cardiometabólico (SBP, DBP y CC) y glucémico. El modelo I explicó el 70,4% de la varianza, que incluía exceso de peso, presión arterial y factores lipídicos / glucémicos. Conclusión: el modelo que incluyó los índices lipídicos explicó la mayor varianza observada y el VAI presentó la carga más significativa de este factor.(AU)