Occupational risks in the elderly, recyclable material collectors, in the Federal District, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the sociodemographic profile, risk factors and health conditions of elderly collectors of recyclable material who worked in an open-air garbage dump, the Structural City Dump in the Federal District, Brazil. The study is cross-sectional and data were collected from a semi-structured instrument, in which sociodemographic, epidemiological and laboratory variables of the research participants were analyzed. The survey demonstrates great vulnerability of this group, highlighting gender differences such as: 64.6% were women, 46.2% were single, 60% reported brown color, 26.2% had more than 4 children, 33.8% had no education level , 52.3 hypertensive and of these 61.9% were women; 83.1% reported exposure to risks with sharp piercing material and 61.5% to contact with decomposing garbage; 56.9% reported accidents with cuts and perforations; 70.8% contact with rodents; 83.1% reported exposure to smoke. This study suggests that the implementation of public and health policies are important to this group, as well as awareness strategies in society, in order to guarantee safe working and living conditions for the health of this population.