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Table 1. Factors likely to affect the occurrence of pesticide poisoning in the three
exposure groups from the lowlands (number of positive responses with percentage
in parentheses).
Factor DE(n=131) IE(n=38) NE(n=28)
Aware of danger of poisoning
Took a course
Changes clothing
27 (20.6)
22(16.8)
34 (26.0)
8 (21.1)
7 (18.4)
5 (13.2)
2 (7.1)
2 (7.1)
-
Eats at work 118(90.1) 20 (52.6) 4(14.3)
Washes hands before eating 120 (91.6) 21 (55.3) 5 (17.9)
Note: DE, directly exposed group; IE, indirectly exposed; NE, not exposed.
Table 2. Preventive measures of workers (number and %) directly exposed to
pesticides in the four study regions.
Preventive measure
Use personal
protection during Bathe after
n spraying spraying
Altiplano 165 11 (6.7) 20 (12.1)
Valleys 186 16 (8.6) 55 (29.6)
Mesothermal valleys 52 1 (1.9) 30 (57.7)
Lowlands 131 41(31.3) 121 (92.4)
This ignorance is due to a lack of guidance and training; only 15.7% of all
workers reported having taken a course or had training in pesticide use. The
figures are alarming, particularly in the lowlands and mesothermal valleys,
and show how susceptible our agricultural population is to risk. In the
lowlands, 74% of the workers did not change their clothing after spraying,
even though this is a necessity in that climate. In the mesothermal valleys,
valleys, and altiplano the figures were 38.5%, 64.5%, and 77.0%. Likewise, the
habit of serving food in the place of work was common: 90.0% for those
directly exposed in the lowlands, and 65.4%, 10.8%, and 15.6%, respectively,
in the mesothermal valleys, valleys, and altiplano.
This lack of knowledge encountered in the group of directly exposed workers
has negative repercussions (Table 2). Of those studied, 68.7% in the lowlands
did not use any method of personal protection when using agrochemicals, but
92.4% did bathe after spraying, probably because of the climate. In the
mesothermal valleys, valleys, and altiplanos, 98.1%, 91.4%, and 93.3% did not
take any measures for personal protection, and 57.7%, 29.6%, and 12.1%
bathed after spraying. The latter information is not considered very reliable
for the altiplano and may represent overreporting, given the water shortages
and infrastructure of the workplaces, as well as the cold temperature (close to
freezing or below).
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