Socio-environmental vulnerabilities in health: Impacts resulting from the implementation and operation of wind power projects

Abstract

This study aimed to outline the sociodemographic profile and identify processes of social, environmental, and health vulnerability in a rural community affected by the implementation of wind turbines in the countryside of northeastern Brazil. This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, conducted with 33 household representatives, covering 105 individuals. A semi-structured questionnaire, georeferencing of households and wind turbines, and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze associations (p < 0.05). The results revealed a population characterized by low educational attainment, a predominance of Black individuals, and a strong dependence on subsistence agriculture. Households were located between 140 and 900 meters from the turbines, indicating high exposure to the impacts. Changes were observed in ways of life, agricultural production, animal behavior, and water quality. Referring to health, sleep disorders, psychological distress, continuous medication use, and the presence of chronic diseases were prominent. A significant association was identified between difficulty sleeping, older age groups, negative sleep quality assessment, and the presence of chronic disease in the household. It is concluded that the implementation of wind farms, when disregarding territorial and social specificities, may intensify vulnerabilities and health inequities, reinforcing the need to incorporate health impact assessment into environmental licensing processes.