The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Evaluate the health problems and life style from small tobacco farmers exposed to sun radiation, nicotine in leaf tobacco and pesticides.

Methods: We will be developing quantitative (epidemiological) and qualitative instruments to evaluate the life style and the health problem from small farmers. Green tobacco sickness is an occupational illness of tobacco harvesters. It is caused by dermal absorption of nicotine from contact with the tobacco leaf. It has been reported in several countries. Nicotine is well absorbed via ingestion, inhalation or the skin. Dermal absorption is dependent on the duration of contact with the skin. The greater the duration of contact, the greater the absorption. Green tobacco sickness are there may be: a lack of awareness of the syndrome by the farm workers and ) some confusion in the patient as to the cause of the illness. Without an awareness of the cause, the workers may fail to take effective precautions when handling green tobacco. Additionally, local farmers and health care workers may confuse these symptoms with heat exhaustion or pesticide poisoning, especially if pesticides have recently been applied to the crop. Sun radiantion and the hight risk to developed skin cancer because they have a risks factors likes as blue eyes, white skin and European descendents.

Results: We will propose surveillance model to investigate the risk factors from these population