Factors associated with self-reported exposure to chemical substances at work in Brazil: results from the National Health Survey, 2013
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054001461Keywords:
Occupational exposure, Chemical Compounds, Working conditions, Occupational Health, Health Surveys, National Survey on HealthAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of self-reported exposure to chemical substances at
work and its associated factors in a sample of Brazilian adults that participated in the National
Health Survey, conducted between 2013 and 2014.
METHODS: Our sample consisted of adults aged 18 years or older that answered question E1 of
module E: “In the week of July 21-27, 2013 (reference week), did you work as regular employee
or intern for at least an hour in any activity paid with cash?” Sociodemographic data, situation
and health behaviors were analyzed with single and multivariate binary logistic regression. The
model was adjusted by the variables of all groups, adopting a 5% significance level. The values
of odds ratio (OR) and respective confidence intervals were obtained.
RESULTS: Women (OR = 0.74; 95%CI 0.66–0.82) had a lower chance of exposure to chemicals.
The highest chances were observed in groups with no instruction or that attended up to
middle-school (OR = 1.77; 95%CI 1.50–2.08), high school (OR = 1.62; 95%CI 1.37–1.91), age between
25 and 54 years (OR = 1.26; 95%CI 1.07–1.48), current smokers (OR = 1.21; 95%CI 1.07–1.37), who
reported tiredness (OR = 1.35; 95%CI 1.21–1.50), hearing difficulties (OR = 1.24; 95%CI 1.04–1.48)
and who reported having suffered an accident at work (OR = 2.00; 95%CI 1.57–2.54).
CONCLUSIONS: The unprecedented results cover the entire workforce. Positive associations
with hearing loss, smoking and history of work accidents are consistent, as well as the inverse
association with education level and gender differences. The absence of association with
asthma was surprising. To fill gaps in investigations on chronic non-communicable diseases,
we suggested improving the PNS collection instrument in the occupational dimension.
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Copyright (c) 2020 Ada Ávila Assunção, Mery Natali Silva Abreu, Priscila Sílvia Nunes Souza
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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais
Grant numbers PPM-00499-16
