Exposición a plaguicidas en agroaplicadores terrestres de la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina: factores condicionantes

the province of cordoba, argentina, has suffered a great expansion of its cultivated surface and, accordingly, of the volume of pesticides applied. they have a strong environmental impact and produce adverse effects upon the living beings, including the human being. the objective of this study was to characterize a population of terrestrial applicators of pesticides from cordoba and also to describe determinants of pesticide exposure and use of personal protective equipment in relation to their social and demographic characteristics, work practices and use of technologies. six hundred twenty nine applicators completed a self reported questionnaire to assess pesticides use, life style and present and past occupational exposure to pesticides. thirty percent of the workers reside less than 100 m from the nearest cultivated area and more than half of them spray up to 5000 ha per year. sixty percent of them do not use personal protective equipment and those having a cohabiting partner apply pesticides wearing a higher level of personal protection. the use of enclosed cabs equipped with charcoal filter and prescription signed by a professional were positively associated with the use of personal protective equipment.