Child Labor in Family Tobacco Farms in Southern Brazil: Occupational Exposure and Related Health Problems

Abstract

Tobacco farming is considered Hazardous Child Labor in Brazil. This study examined the work of children and adolescents in tobacco farming, characterizing the level of urinary cotinine and the occurrence of Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS), pesticide poisoning, respiratory symptoms, and musculoskeletal disorders. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a random sample of tobacco growers under 18 years old in Southern Brazil. Ninety-nine young people were interviewed at 79 family farms. The majority began working in agriculture before they were 14 and worked harvesting and tying hands of tobacco; 60% were 16 or 17 years old, and 51.5% were male. During their lifetime, 24.5% reported GTS, and 3% reported pesticide poisoning. In the previous year, 29.3% reported low back pain, 6.1% wheezing, and 16.2% coughing without having a cold. Half of the 12 young people evaluated had over 100 ng/mL of urinary cotinine. The study indicates that child laborers do various activities and present a high prevalence of health problems. Health workers should be trained to identify child laborers and their impacts on health. Full-time farm schools could provide knowledge about sustainable agricultural production, reducing the rates of age-grade mismatch, without taking young people away from rural areas.

Recent and Projected Changes in Global Climate May Increase Nicotine Absorption and the Risk of Green Tobacco Sickness.

“…For those interviewed, ~ 60% were 16-17 years old, and 51.5% were male. During their lifetime, ~ 25% reported GTS, and 3% pesticide poisoning 30 .…”

Prevalence of musculoskeletal system problems in children working in Turkey's automotive industry

“…Other researchers have found that children working in dangerous jobs experience health problems such as respiratory system diseases, musculoskeletal system disorders and injuries, poisoning, fractures, and dislocations (Batomen Kuimi et al., 2018; Fassa et al., 2021; Quandt et al., 2019). A systematic review examining child waste workers found the most common health problems experienced by child workers were musculoskeletal and respiratory system problems (Sara et al., 2022).…”

Epidemiological occupational studies in rural areas: methodological challenges

“…On the other hand, it may fail to capture people who are less exposed to certain risks, such as pesticides. Additionally, since working with pesticides and in tobacco farming is prohibited for individuals under 18 years of age and older adults, some families do not report when people in these age groups are regular workers, leading to a selection bias 22 . Some studies that assess chemical exposure target pesticide applicators, investigating those who were applicators in the last year or the last crop season to capture the most exposed individuals 10 .…”

“…Legal restrictions on child labor also hinder identifying and conducting interviews with agricultural workers under the age of 18. When this is a group of interest, it is recommended to include all residents of the establishment and assess their participation in agricultural activities during the interview 22 . In studies on family farming, reconciling the economic characterization is also challenging.…”