Table 1.
Sociodemographic and pesticide exposure characteristics of a rural population in SJU, according to groups of exposure.
| Sociodemographic Variables | Total n = 82 (%) |
Rural Workers n = 48 (%) |
Relatives n = 34 (%) |
p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (mean in years ± sd) | 44.0 ± 13.5 | 42.9 ± 12.4 | 45.7 ± 14.9 | 0.35 b |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 45 (54.9%) | 40 (83.3%) | 5 (14.7%) | <0.001 b |
| Female | 37 (45.1%) | 8 (16.7%) | 29 (85.3%) | |
| Marital status | ||||
| Married/cohabiting partner | 71 (86.6%) | 40 (83.3%) | 31 (91.2%) | 0.31 b |
| Single or divorced | 11 (13.4%) | 8 (16.7%) | 3 (8.8%) | |
| Monthly family income $ | ||||
| Up to 2 salaries | 58 (70.7%) | 37 (77.1%) | 21 (61.8%) | 0.133 b |
| More than 2 salaries | 24 (29.3%) | 11 (22.9%) | 13 (38.2%) | |
| Years of education (median; IQR *) | 4 (3.3–8) | 4 (3–6.5) | 5 (4–8) | 0.30 c |
| Body Mass Index (mean ± sd) | 26.4 ± 5.6 | 25 ± 4 | 28.5 ± 6.9 | 0.48 c |
| Low or normal weight | 37 (45.1%) | 24 (50%) | 13 (38.2%) | 0.021 b |
| Overweight | 30 (36.6%) | 20 (41.7%) | 10 (29.4%) | |
| Obese | 15 (18.3%) | 4 (8.3%) | 11 (32.4%) | |
| Smoking status | ||||
| Never | 55 (67.1%) | 29 (60.4%) | 26 (76.5%) | 0.16 a |
| Past (ex) | 16 (19.5%) | 10 (20.8%) | 6 (17.6%) | 0.78 a |
| Current | 11 (13.4%) | 9 (18.8%) | 2 (5.9%) | 0.11 a |
| Mean/Median (pack-years) | 2.8/0 | 6.4/0 | 1.0/0 | 0.09 c |
| Alcohol consumption (if yes) | 24 (29.3%) | 14 (29.2%) | 10 (29.4%) | 1.00 a |
| Exposure variables | ||||
| Duration of pesticide exposure (mean in years ± sd) | 25.7 ± 15.1 | 30.2 ± 13.6 | 19.3 ± 15.1 | 0.001 b |
| Current direct contact in the crop (if yes) | 42 (51.2%) | 38 (79.2%) | 4 (11.8%) | <0.001 a |
| Frequent handling in the crop season ** | 41 (50%) | 38 (79.2%) | 3 (8.8%) | <0.001 a |
| Pesticide use in the off-season | 6 (7.3%) | 6 (12.5%) | 0 | 0.03 a |
| Use of any PPE *** | 53 (64.6%) | 43 (89.6%) | 10 (29.4%) | <0.001 a |
| Use of respiratory PPE (mask or respirator) | 39 (47.6%) | 37 (77.1%) | 2 (5.9%) | <0.001 b |
| Use of eyes PPE (visor) | 11 (13.4%) | 11 (22.9%) | 0 | 0.003 b |
| Use of hand PPE (gloves) | 41 (50%) | 35 (72.9%) | 6 (17.6%) | <0.001 b |
| Use of shoes PPE (boots) | 42 (51.2%) | 36 (75%) | 6 (17.6%) | <0.001 b |
| Domestic exposure (if yes) | 72 (87.8%) | 40 (83.3%) | 32 (94.1%) | 0.141 a |
| Residential distance from plantation site | ||||
| Up to 500 m | 44 (53.7%) | 23 (47.9%) | 21 (61.8%) | 0.215 b |
| More than 500 m | 38 (46.3%) | 25 (52.1%) | 13 (38.2%) | |
| Previous intoxication ever | 14 (17.1%) | 11 (22.9%) | 3 (8.8%) | 0.095 a |
| Received training or technical support | 11 (13.4%) | 11 (22.9%) | 0 (0%) | 0.003 a |
| Washes hands after handling pesticides | 63 (76.8%) | 42 (87.5%) | 21 (61.8%) | 0.007 a |
| Takes shower after handling pesticides | 47 (57.3%) | 33 (68.8%) | 14 (41.2%) | 0.013 a |
| Consumes food and water in the field | 71 (86.6%) | 46 (95.8%) | 25 (73.5%) | 0.004 a |
$ Based on Brazilian minimum salary (±293 U.S. $); * IQR—Interquartil range (P25–P75); ** Frequent pesticide handling = more than 1 to 3 times per week; *** PPE: Personal protective equipment; a Chi-Square- Fisher exact test; b One-way ANOVA; c Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA.