Rural workers' health and productivity: an economic assessment of pesticide use in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

This paper evaluates the economic impact of pesticide intoxication on the health of rural workers in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. To estimate the economic impact we considered the purchase cost of pesticides and the treatment costs of rural workers' affected by intoxication. These impacts were compared to the benefits of pesticide use, as estimated by the crop losses avoided through pesticide application. Data were obtained from the Fundacentro/Ministry of Work agency for the years 1991-2000, in nine municipalities of Minas Gerais, Brazil; and included epidemiological surveillance records and blood screening results. Rural workers' probabilities of intoxication were estimated as a function of their expositure characteristics by means of a logistic regression model. The changes in marginal probabilities associated with changes in expositure characteristics were also estimated. When health intoxication costs are included in the farmer's decision process, the financial benefit of pesticide use with certain crops is reduced. For zucchini, beans and corn, respectively, treatment costs represent about 42%, 25% and 25% of the pesticide use benefit. This study points to the need for an extensive investigation into the real benefits of pesticide use and its consequences for the environment and health in Brazil.