Percepções de trabalhadores rurais acerca dos riscos frente ao uso dos agrotóxicos: possibilidades para enfermagem

Abstract

Currently, face up serious challenges, among them, the complexity of environmental issues, which demand of society responsible action, in view of the accelerated process of environmental destruction that is experienced and threats to survival of the planet and humanity. And one of the instances of this crisis is related to the production model based on agribusiness, dependent on the use of pesticides causing impacts to human and environmental health. Faced with this, the study aimed to understand the perceptions of rural workers about the risks arising from the use of pesticides for your health and for the environment. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. Were part of that, 15 rural workers in a district of the city of Santa Maria-RS, 18 years or more, involved in agriculture for over a year and they were not a member of the same family. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and socioeconomic form during the months from February to April 2014. The research was conducted considering Resolution No. 466, 2012 of the National Board of Health and approved by the Ethics Committee of the institution under the CAAE No 26425513.7.0000.5346. The data, once transcribed, were analyzed based on the proposed framework for thematic content analysis, and discussed from the theoretical support offered by Antony Giddens and Ulrich Beck on the Risk Society. The results were organized into four categories namely: The meaning of risk from perspective of rural workers; The consequences of modernity: the problem of pesticides; The environmental crisis and the issue of pesticides and; The use of pesticides and the health of rural workers. After analysis and discussion of the results it can be said that participants have known of the risks from the use of pesticides during the work process, both for their own health, the health of consumers and the environment. But, that is not enough so that they modify their actions. In this respect, it is essential that nursing come on the scene, in order to promote health education and can guide these farmers on the health of rural workers and care for the environment, an essential factor of production and maintenance of health.