Socioeconomic profile of Rural Workers cancer sufferers

Objective: To describe the socioeconomic profile of rural workers with cancer hospitalized at a university hospital. Methods: descriptive study with quantitative approach, performed from August 2013 to January 2014, through search in the records and active search for patients that were within the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: we interviewed 59 rural workers, coming from different hinterland municipalities, and worked with different types of crops. A large proportion of respondents reported that they used pesticides, not using PPE. The predominant type of cancer found were the neoplasms of the digestive system. Conclusions: the use of pesticides is a reality for the workers investigated, leading to the exposure to occupational hazards. Health workers need to implement healthcare strategies for those workers, in order to assist in minimizing the risks of the occupational exposure to the pesticides.