Abstract

AGUDELO C, Ruth M. et al. Living and working conditions of peasant farmers and their families in Marinilla a town of the agricultural district in Antioquia, Colombia, 2011. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2013, vol.31, n.3, pp.319-328. ISSN 0120-386X.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the socio-economic, health, hygienic sanitary and working conditions in farming families living in the municipality of Marinilla, Antioquia. METHODOLOGY: Crosssectional study of a nonrandom sample of 83 families. The aim was achieved by applying a questionnaire and observation of the sanitary conditions of the houses in nine villages. RESULTS: agriculture was family type and did not generate enough income to survive (73.8%), use of hand tools (99%) and the only equipment available to them (79.1 %) was the fumigation pump. Although agriculture has covered the life cycle and generational members, only 17.7% want their children to continue the agricultural tradition. Work was performed on 8 or more hours, 6 or 7 days a week, no holidays, with 26.2% accident, continuous use of pesticides of moderate and high hazard for 25.9 years on average and with low (3.9%) social protection for incapacity, disability, old age and death. However this study identified increased land ownership (65%), affiliation to the subsidized health system (96.3%), level of literacy although the technical or professional higher education was 3.2% and access to communal water supply (96.4%). CONCLUSION: agriculture continuous determining Marinilla country life, this work is very hopelessness for the future generations. Regional leaders must act effectively if they want to preserve the agrarian district of Eastern Antioquia.

Keywords : farm families; agrochemicals; agricultural labor; environmental health; occupational health.

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