Marketing of Pesticides and Health Outcomes in the State of Paraná: A Nonlinear Association

Abstract

This ecological study aimed to analyze the association between the amount of pesticide commercialization and some diseases and causes of mortality in the state of Paraná from 2013 to 2017. In this way, a comparison was made between the 22 health regions, identifying the relationship between the rate of commercialization of pesticides per inhabitant with the following variables: rate of exogenous intoxication related to work, rate of exogenous intoxication by pesticides related to work, rate of suicide attempts and mortality rates from neoplasms, congenital malformation and suicide. For these last three health outcomes, the selected nonlinear models had their R-squared above 0.500. The Cascavel Health Region stood out with more municipalities with high rates of pesticide marketing and health outcomes, unlike the Metropolitan Health Region. It is observed that the profile of the municipalities that have the highest rates of the diseases studied is rural and with production mainly of soy, corn, wheat, tobacco, pastures, and beans. Thus, the need to review the conventional agri-food model and promote rigorous public policies to control pesticides, in addition to preventing health problems, strengthening Epidemiological Surveillance services is highlighted.

Keywords:
Pesticides; Food and Nutritional Security; Health; Paraná state