Percepción sobre daños a la salud y utilidad de medidas de protección de personas expuestas ocupacionalmente al mercurio en la minería del oro

Resumen

Introduction. Since colony times, the village of
\nSegovia has had gold mining as its main economic
\nactivity. The artisanal exploitation of this metal has
\nimpacted the health of the population. Objective.
\nTo describe the perception about the harm on
\nhealth and the protection measures for the people
\noccupationally exposed to mercury vapor in gold
\nmining activities developed in Segovia (Colombia)
\nin 2011. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional
\ndescriptive study applied to a sample of 56 people,
\noccupationally exposed to mercury vapor in Segovia
\nin 2011. A questionnaire with social-demographic
\nvariables was applied to them, and it included
\ntheir perception about health harm and about the
\nprotection measures to reduce their exposition to the
\nmercury vapor. Results. 96.4% of the participants
\nperceived that mercury is harmful for health. 16.1%
\nof the participants said they have consulted a health
\nservice unit some time in their lifetimes due to health
\nproblems related to their occupational exposition. A
\nsignificant correlation between the use of the security
\nequipment and the perception that such equipment
\nprovides protection was found. Conclusion. The
\ngroup studied has some incorrect perceptions about
\nprotection measures, and this can be related to the
\nhigh proportion of health problems associated to the
\nexposition aforementioned.