Determinants of occupational exposure to pesticides in farmers: a scoping review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63434/30286999.3Keywords:
occupational exposure, pesticides, socioeconomic factors, health knowledge, attitudes, practiceAbstract
The constant increase in the production and use of pesticides has had significant repercussions on the health of agricultural workers, especially in developing countries, associated with unsafe practices and attitudes and a lack of knowledge regarding the handling of these chemicals.
Objective: to synthesize existing evidence on the determinants of occupational exposure to pesticides, to identify their impact on the health and safety of farmers.
Materials and methods: a scoping literature search was conducted, following the JBI methodological guide and the PRISMA ScR protocol. For the selection of studies, the Bireme, Pubmed and Embase databases were consulted, from which 1,723 indexed scientific publications published between 2020 and 2023 were extracted; a total of 1,198 articles were filtered and excluded through a semi-automatic process supported by the Rayyan® software, carrying out a qualitative synthesis of the evidence.
Results: 21 articles were included. A lack of knowledge was identified on topics such as product toxicity, health effects, and the interpretation of safety labels. Farmers with some level of education demonstrated better practices and the selection of less toxic pesticides. A low trend in the use of personal protective equipment was observed, with goggles and gloves being the least used. The most commonly reported symptoms were headaches, dizziness, and visual and respiratory problems, recognized as common among workers.
Conclusions: factors such as attitude, knowledge, and practices in pesticide handling not only influence worker safety but also directly impact their health and the environment.
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