Exposición prolongada a plaguicidas y afectación neurológica y neuropsiquiátrica en los agricultores de la comuna el poste en Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

Abstract

The use of pesticides in agriculture is increasingly used to control pests that affect different crops, and chronically exposed workers are those who will present neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations. This will be verified with the application of validated tests to the farmers of the commune of El poste in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. The study is transversal, where the clinical neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations in these farmers chronically exposed to pesticides will be determined by using the relative prevalence, correlating the different variables. Objective: To determine the prevalence of neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations in farmers exposed to pesticides for more than 1 year. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical and correlational study to describe the neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations of farmers in the commune of El poste in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. The study population is 100 farmers. The sample includes 80 farmers who meet the inclusion criteria. The source of information is primary. The following tests will be applied: Minimental test (MMSE), EUROQUEST neurotoxic symptoms questionnaire. Relative prevalence will be used for statistical analysis. Variables analyzed: dependent (neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations in farmers of the El poste community in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas), independent (prolonged exposure to pesticides for more than 1 year) and sociodemographic variables. Results: We expect to obtain the frequency of neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations in workers exposed for more than 1 year to pesticides related to cognitive impairment, polyneuropathy, anxiety, depression, stress correlating with the lack of use of personal protective equipment and the type of pesticide or mixtures of pesticides used. As these are expected results, we are going to base ourselves on the bibliographic review on exposure to pesticides.