Table 1
Sociodemographic characteristics of ragpickers, non-ragpickers, and a sample of the general population of Pelotas
| Variable | Ragpickers | Non-ragpickers | Sample of Pelotas population |
|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | |
| Monthly income, multiples of minimum wage ($US) | |||
| Less than the minimum ($87) | 67.0 | 25.7 | 14.0 |
| 1–2× ($174) | 26.8 | 36.6 | 25.3 |
| 2–3× ($261) | 4.0 | 19.5 | 18.0 |
| 3–4× ($348) | 1.6 | 8.0 | 12.6 |
| >4× | 0.6 | 10.2 | 30.1 |
| Age | |||
| 18–29 years | 31.6 | 26.4 | 22.6 |
| 30–39 years | 27.0 | 31.0 | 21.4 |
| 40–49 years | 24.0 | 24.7 | 21.0 |
| 50–59 years | 10.8 | 13.1 | 16.7 |
| 60–69 years | 6.6 | 4.8 | 18.3 |
| Schooling | |||
| 0 years | 22.4 | 12.5 | 1.0 |
| 1–4 years | 43.7 | 45.1 | 20.6 |
| 5–8 years | 30.8 | 38.5 | 33.5 |
| 9 or more years | 3.1 | 3.9 | 44.9 |
| Marital status | |||
| No | 36.7 | 38.7 | 38.7 |
| Yes | 63.3 | 61.3 | 61.3 |
| Skin colour | |||
| White | 52.5 | 68.4 | 84.7 |
| Non-white | 47.5 | 31.6 | 15.3 |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 62.9 | 63.9 | 43.2 |
| Female | 37.1 | 36.1 | 56.8 |
| Smoking status | |||
| Never smoker | 28.8 | 40.9 | 52.4 |
| Ex-smoker | 12.7 | 14.8 | 27.9 |
| Current smoker | 58.5 | 44.3 | 19.7 |
