Impact of pesticide exposure: an epidemiological profile of rural populations in the central-west region of Brazil

Brazilian agriculture is the greatest pesticide consumer in the world. The pesticides used to control pests are employed to increase crop productivity and profit. However, pesticide exposure may lead to acute and chronic complications. The objective of this study was to identify the epidemiological profile of pesticide-exposed rural populations in Jataí, Goiás, Brazil. This cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective epidemiological study was conducted in the countryside near the city of Jataí between 2018 and 2020. The research population comprised 99 farmworkers potentially exposed to pesticides, whose children attended three rural schools in the municipality. The data were collected by trained researchers in individual interviews, using a standardized questionnaire. Of the interviewed farmworkers, only 16.2% of the participants reported no pesticide exposure whatsoever. The presence of neuropsychiatric disorders was reported by 47.5% of the participants. The vulnerability of the pesticide-exposed rural population is closely related to the following factors: high toxicity of agricultural inputs; inadequate and/or absent use of personal protective equipment; low educational attainment; lack of specialized pesticide use instructions. This research is expected to contribute to the analysis and reflection of the topic approached and the promotion of effective strategies aiming at the comprehensive health of the Brazilian rural populations.