Efeitos sociais de grandes empreendimentos hidrelétricos no Rio Araguari: a relação entre o uso do território e a saúde coletiva no município de Nova Ponte (MG)

Abstract

This research approaches the social effects from Large Enterprises, specifically the hydroelectric ones in the Basin of Araguari River, that are associated to the use of the territory in the flood actions, displacement, and the implications for the local population health-disease process, including health risks. Nova Ponte-MG was the empirical field of quantitative and qualitative study. The objective was to identify and analyze the incidence of certain diseases among the population affected by the project named UHE de Nova Ponte and compare to the period before the execution of the work, in order to understand the relationship of territory use by large enterprises, and the process of health and illness. The choice of the subjects (residents, health professionals, public manager and entrepreneur) as a source of primary data, was due to the different uses and meanings of territories and possible associations to diseases processes. Regarding the methodological procedure, we studied the relevant literature to the theme, and the analysis categories of geography, with emphasis on the territory. The investigation was conducted as follows: collection of secondary data with consultations on official sources of available information systems; sample selection of research subjects based on pre-defined criteria; use of Informed Consent Term; interviews with questionnaire; consolidation, tabulation and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The results reveal that the health-disease process triggered on the population exposed to dispossession (flood in the old town) and repossession (removal to the new city) is permeated by the change in the context of life and work that was provoked by the implementation of the hydroelectric project. After 20 years of project implementation, the affected population remained with few material gain and with the ills of immaterial loss. The changes introduced in the territory are closely related to the biopsychosocial processes that influence on disease or health of the local population.