Poverty as a predisposing factor of illness tendencies in sugar cane workers

This exploratory research based on the Social Ecological Theory aimed to study the health promotion of 39 people working in the harvest of the sugarcane in São Paulo, Brazil. The objectives were to identify the individual, social and environmental factors predisposing the workers to illnesses. The data were collected through direct observation of the labor activity and a questionnaire. The main individual determinant factors were physical effort and hectic work rhythm, and among the environmental factors, intense solar radiation, dust, soot and the presence of venomous animals were highlighted. The conditions of life and work reflect the poverty of these individuals and are the main social determinants of illness. The interaction of these factors can cause respiratory, cutaneous, musculoskeletal problems, occupational accidents. Thus, eradicating poverty and improving work conditions are fundamental for the health promotion of these workers.