Identificação de possíveis relações entre o uso de agrotóxicos e os problemas de saúde reportados por munícipes de Santa Tereza do Oeste - PR

Abstract

Pesticides are used to control diseases caused by vectors such as insects, larvae, fungi and ticks in rural and urban environments, and especially in agricultural activities to increase income in world food production. However, several environmental and public health problems are associated with the use of pesticides. This case study aimed to understand the public health and environmental scenario of Santa Tereza do Oeste-PR. The information was obtained by means of questionnaires applied to the rural and urban population based on the Protocol for the Assessment of Chronic Poisoning by Pesticides of the Health Department of Paraná and from soil samples were also collected for analysis and evaluation of their characteristics and levels of toxicity, originating from a partial product of a project developed by the CARDIFF University. Based on the analysis of these collections, this study employs data mining techniques, using the computational tool WEKA (Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis), in an attempt to identify possible relationships between the use of pesticides and health problems reported by residents of Santa Tereza do Oeste - PR. Based on the results obtained, a question arose as to how the SelfReporting Questionnaire 20 items (SRQ-20) is used, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the assessment of psychiatric disorders. In general, the general results corroborate those produced by other studies related to the subject, while the individual results of each employed data mining technique converge with each other. Among others, the relationship between contact with pesticides and fatigue, neurological and gastrointestinal problems was identified.