Dermal nicotine absorption and its effects on the health of tobacco workers
Keywords:
nicotine, green tobacco, poisoning, disease.Abstract
Introduction: Dermal absorption of the nicotine contained in tobacco leaves causes a type of poisoning called green tobacco sickness, which commonly affects green and wet tobacco harvesters.
Objective: Determine the incidence of green tobacco sickness among workers from the farm La Gloriosa in Nieves Morejón Credit and Services Cooperative, Cabaiguán, Sancti Spíritus.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted of 50 workers exposed to green tobacco leaves at the farm La Gloriosa in Nieves Morejón CSC, Cabaiguán, Sancti Spíritus, from November 2017 to April 2018. Individual surveys were applied and work was done with focal groups. Statistical analysis was based on percentage estimation. Results are presented as tables.
Results: Of the cases studied, 72% were male and 84% were from the 25-59 years age group. The most common symptoms were dizziness, muscle weakness or languor, nausea, headache and vomiting, among others. Most of the workers had insufficient knowledge about the disease, its risk factors and the protection measures involved.
Conclusions: Most of the workers have presented some of the main signs and symptoms associated to this disease at least once. The workers are exposed to environmental conditions that strengthen the risks due to the high humidity in the fields. The main risk factors they are exposed to are humidity in the fields, sucker or bud removal and leaf collection, wet clothing, unprotected tobacco handling, and non-compliance with hygiene measures. There is insufficient knowledge about this disease among the personnel studied.
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