Mental suffering affects 1 in every 3 sugarcane workers in the Campinas region One in every three sugarcane workers in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas (RMC) shows signs of mental suffering. The data is from a doctoral thesis at the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). The survey evaluated 100 professionals in the sugar-energy sector. Signs of common mental disorders were identified in 33% of participants. The term brings together symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating and persistent tiredness. The result does not mean that these workers have a diagnosis of mental disorder. The questionnaire used in the research serves to identify symptoms that may indicate the need for more in-depth assessment. The research also showed that workers who carry out manual activities in sugarcane fields had the highest rates of mental suffering and fatigue. ? See the main results: 33% of workers showed signs of common mental disorders; among manual activity professionals, the rate reached 43.5%, compared to 11.8% among drivers; 32.3% of manual activity workers had high fatigue, compared to 5.9% of drivers; among women, 50% had high fatigue, compared to 18.6% of men. The data is part of the thesis of physiotherapist and researcher Beatriz Machado de Campos Corrêa Silva. The work was defended in February 2026 at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at Unicamp. According to Silva, the research emerged from a gap. For years, studies have focused on the physical wear caused by manual cutting of sugarcane. With mechanization, this type of work decreased. But there was a lack of research into the health of those who continued in the sector. "Until a few years ago, there were many studies related to the physical fatigue of these workers, at a time when many died from exhaustion, because the physical work was really very intense. Then came mechanization, but with a greater concern for protecting the environment, and not looking at the health of the workers", he analyzes. Doctoral research evaluated 100 professionals from the sugar-energy sector Beatriz Machado de Campos Corrêa Silva/Personal archive How was mental health assessed? To assess participants' mental health, the researcher used a questionnaire with 20 questions. The instrument identifies symptoms related to so-called common mental disorders. “You will detect if the person has a depressed mood, anxiety, irritability, if they have persistent tiredness, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, if they feel unable to carry out daily activities and if they have some complaints, such as headache and muscle pain”, details Silva. The highest rates of mental suffering and fatigue were found among workers in manual activities. In this group, 43.5% showed signs of common mental disorders and 32.3%, high fatigue. Among drivers, the rates were 11.8% and 5.9%, respectively. In the research, workers in manual activities are called day laborers. “Day laborers are much more vulnerable. They are the ones who do this manual replanting of the sugarcane, who apply the herbicides. So, it's actually more painful work," he says. Mechanization has reduced manual cutting, but it hasn't eliminated manual labor. "There are areas where machines, harvesters, don't go. Coincidentally, these areas are the most difficult, because the cane gets tangled and falls down. So, cutting this sugarcane is more painful." Risks as part of the routine In addition to the questionnaires, Silva followed the routine in the sugarcane fields and interviewed workers. ?? The researcher realized that situations considered accidents in other environments are often seen by workers as a normal part of the routine in the field. "A person who works in an industrial kitchen, if they cut themselves with a knife, it is an accident at work. The rural sugarcane worker, if he cuts himself with a sugarcane leaf, which is very sharp, for him this is not a work accident", he highlights. The researcher noticed something similar when talking about mental health. "When talking to them, you realized that many had never stopped to think about some issues. And some even had difficulty responding, because they had never stopped to think about that aspect.” Mechanization of sugarcane harvesting changed the way workers work Murillo Gomes/g1 Heat, herbicides and lack of structure During field work, Silva observed problems in the structure offered to workers, such as distant bathrooms and precarious areas for resting and eating. The routine of those who apply herbicides also drew attention. The professionals work under the sun, with protective equipment, and They carry a bomb weighing around 20 kilos on their backs: “They receive a mask, glasses, that protective suit. But this jumpsuit is hot, and the person is working with a 20-kilo bomb on their back, under the sun, with other clothes underneath. So, imagine how much this person sweats", she reports. During breaks, the researcher saw workers place their protective clothing on the sugar cane to dry. There was also a lack of suitable places for hygiene before meals. "When they are going to stop for lunch, there is no suitable washbasin for them to sanitize their hands so they can eat properly. They take off this protective clothing, the PPE, and place it on the sugarcane to dry and put it on again", she states. For the author of the study, the distance from rural areas also makes inspection difficult. "These are workers who are placed in very distant places, which are difficult to access. It's difficult to supervise, it's difficult to monitor." Half of the women showed high fatigue ? Among the women evaluated, 50% showed high fatigue, compared to 18.6% of men. The thesis points out that the difference may be related to the sum of professional work