Healthy and sustainable rural territory index: a proposal for health, environmental and labor surveillance

Abstract Introduction Development surveillance is a political and social approach that integrates participatory actions within the Unified Health System (SUS) and public policies. Objective To present the Municipal Index of Healthy and Sustainable Rural Territories (I-TSSR) to monitor the harmful influence of agribusiness on the environment, work and its repercussions on health in the state of Mato Grosso (MT). Methods Ecological study based on secondary data from social, environmental, health and occupational indicators. A composite index was calculated from the indicators calculated and spatially distributed in the municipalities for the period 1990 to 2022. Results The value of the I-TSSR ranged from 3 to 25. The spatial distribution in the territory allows us to find out 34 municipalities with greater impacts of environmental degradation and the occurrence of negative health outcomes, such as pesticide poisoning, accidents at work, congenital malformations and childhood cancer (I-TSSR: 17.47-25.00), located in the West, Mid-North, Northeast and South of Mato Grosso regions. Conclusion Development surveillance, through the I-TSSR, offers an innovative approach to understanding the impacts of agribusiness. By integrating health, environmental and social development information, this approach promotes a broad and participatory view of the health and sustainable development situation.