Author:

• Carla Wernecke Padovani Gonzaga - Gonzaga, C,W.P - <carlawpado@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0263-6021

Co-author(s):

• Marcelo Perim Baldo - Baldo, M.P - <marcelobaldo@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7673-3580
• Antônio Prates Caldeira - Caldeira, A.P - Montes Claros, - <antonio.caldeira@unimontes.br>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9990-9083

Abstract:

Differences in agriculture practices are associated to different health risks to peasants. This paper aimed at analyzing the association of suicidal ideation and exposure to pesticides by the comparison between peasants living under environmental pesticide exposure in relation to peasants involved in agroecological practices, without using pesticides, in the semi-arid at north of Minas Gerais. The assessed families were identified, for convenience, based on their agriculture practice, with data collection performed by interviewing peasants using previously validated instruments. Bivariate analyzes followed by logistic regression analysis were performed. In 2019, 547 peasants of both sexes were interviewed, being 311 of them exposed to pesticides. Peasants exposed to pesticides, compared to peasants involved in agroecological practices, had greater chances of suicidal ideation (OR = 2.30; 95% CI 1.16 - 4.56), harmful alcohol consumption (OR = 2.30; 95% CI 1.18 - 4.48) and previous acute poisoning by pesticides (OR = 8.58; 95% CI 2.98 - 24.72). It was concluded that agricultural practices that imply chronic exposure to pesticides are associated to greater chances of suicidal ideation, regardless of previous episodes of acute poisoning by pesticides or harmful use of alcohol.

Keywords:

Suicide, Environmental exposure, Poisoning, Sustainable agriculture, Rural population.

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