Indicadores de saúde ambiental e o processamento agroindustrial da cana-de-açúcar no Estado de Goiás, CO Brasil

Abstract

Sugarcane is cultivated throughout the world as the main agricultural crop, due to its essential raw material for the production of sugar, ethanol and other derived products. The State of Goiás is the second largest producer of sugar and alcohol in Brazil. Although the cultivation of sugar cane is considered essential for the economic development of the state, however, it puts the health of the environment, human beings, and animals at risk. The expansion of this cultivation in Goiás can result in the loss of natural habitats, causing impacts on biodiversity, soil, and water resources. Furthermore, the sugarcane agro-industrial process is associated with the intensive consumption of agrochemicals. Therefore, it is necessary to survey the environmental health of the municipalities of Goiás where they do or do not house sugarcane plants. Since, environmental health always seeks to correlate the balance of ecosystems with the quality of life of local populations. To do this, we will use the Driving Force, Pressure, Situation, Exposure, Effect, and Action (FPSEEA) model, a multidimensional matrix used to investigate the factors involved in the healthdisease process at the interface between health and the environment. The objective of the study was to analyze environmental health indicators in municipalities that have a sugarcane production chain in the State of Goiás. Therefore, surveys were conducted in the DATASUS and Atlas Brasil databases considering some environmental health indicators of municipalities in Goiás with the presence and absence of sugarcane mills. The information from the indicators was used to create the FPSEEA model. This collected information was organized in a data matrix subjected to descriptive statistical analysis with the help of the Excel® program. According to the results obtained, it was possible to observe a significant link between economic, health, and sanitation indicators, with the causes of morbidity (≤ 2 years) and mortality (≤ 1 year) due to diarrheal diseases in children in the municipalities of the state of Goiás However, the results did not show a link between sugarcane mills and these indicators. Therefore, this study corroborates the importance of conducting investigations to monitor and prevent the consequences of environmental changes on the health of populations.