HEALTH EVALUATION OF THE BARRA LONGA POPULATION AFFECTED BY THE DISASTER IN MARIANA COUNTY¹

Abstract

In 2015, the rupture of Fundão tailing dam caused the largest mining disaster in Brazil. Barra Longa district was the second to bereached by the toxic mudslide. Its population represents one of the most exposed to the risks of environmental degradation. The aim of the present study is to identify the perception of the exposed population about its physical, mental and social health, and about the fulfilment of its needs, based on self-assessment. This is an exploratory, cross-sectional and descriptive study, based on interviews conducted with 507 residents from the urban and rural areas. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of the interviewees reported worse health condition now than before the disaster. Among the spontaneously reported health issues, one finds: respiratory issues (40%), skin conditions (15.8%), behavioral disorders (11%), infectious diseases (6.8%), ophthalmologic issues (6.3%) and digestive problems (3.1%). The five most reported symptoms were headache, cough, leg pain, pruritus and anxiety. The collected data gave voice to multivariate health complaints and to the vulnerability of the local population.

Keywords:
Disaster; Man-made Disaster; Health condition; Environmental health; Vulnerability