title: Exposure to pesticides and mental disorders in a rural population of Southern Brazil.
abstract: Exposure to pesticides has been associated with mental disorders, especially in occupationally exposed populations, such as farmers. This effect has been attributed to the neurotoxic and endocrine-disrupting activity of pesticides, as suggested by experimental studies.
  
  
  
  To determine the prevalence of common mental disorders and self-reported depression, and analyze their association with the exposure to pesticides in a rural population resident in the municipality of Dom Feliciano, Rio Grande do Sul, where tobacco farming is the main economic activity.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional study evaluating the prevalence of common mental disorders and self-reported depression in a sample of 869 adult individuals resident in Dom Feliciano, between October 2011 and March 2012 was performed. The evaluation of common mental disorders was performed using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20), setting a cutoff point of 8 for both genders. A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain information on self-reported depression upon prior diagnosis by a health professional, and self-reported exposure to pesticide. In order to evaluate the association between exposure to pesticides and mental disorders, a non-conditional multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.
  
  
  
  The prevalence of common mental disorders and self-reported depression in the sample population were 23% and 21%, respectively. Among individuals who reported depression, an increase of 73% was observed in the odds of pesticide exposure at an age equal to or less than 15 years. There was a positive association between self-reported pesticide poisoning and common mental disorders (OR=2.63; 95% CI, 1.62-4.25) as well as self-reported depression (OR=2.62; 95% CI, 1.63-4.21). Individuals who reported depression had a greater odds of exposure to pyrethroids (OR=1.80; 95% CI, 1.01-3.21) and aliphatic alcohol (OR=1.99; 95% CI, 1.04-3.83). An SRQ-20≥8 was associated with an approximately seven times higher odds of exposure to aliphatic alcohol (95% CI, 1.73-27.53). Self-reported depression positively correlated with a greater period of exposure to dinitroaniline (OR=2.20; 95% CI, 1.03-4.70) and sulphonylurea (OR=4.95; 95% CI, 1.06-23.04).
  
  
  
  The results suggest that exposure to pesticides could be related mental disorders. However, other common risk factors in tobacco farming, the main local economic activity, cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Technical Unit of Occupational, Environmental Exposure and Cancer, José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute ⿿ INCA, Rua Marquês do Pombal, 125/5° andar ⿿ Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20230-240, Brazil. Electronic address: elidacamp@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ÿlida
authors.initials: Ÿ
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Technical Unit of Occupational, Environmental Exposure and Cancer, José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute ⿿ INCA, Rua Marquês do Pombal, 125/5° andar ⿿ Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20230-240, Brazil. Electronic address: valspsilva@globo.com.
authors.forename: Valéria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Pinto da Silva
authors.affiliation: Technical Unit of Occupational, Environmental Exposure and Cancer, José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute ⿿ INCA, Rua Marquês do Pombal, 125/5° andar ⿿ Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20230-240, Brazil. Electronic address: mmello@inca.gov.br.
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarpa Campos de Mello
authors.affiliation: Technical Unit of Occupational, Environmental Exposure and Cancer, José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute ⿿ INCA, Rua Marquês do Pombal, 125/5° andar ⿿ Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20230-240, Brazil. Electronic address: uotero@inca.gov.br.
authors.forename: Ubirani
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Barros Otero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Depression; Mental disorder; Pesticide; Rural population; Tobacco farming