Abstract
Migrants are mainly employed in “3D jobs” which are dirty, dangerous, and difficult, are characterized by monotony and intense rhythms, and are found in sectors with higher risks such as construction, heavy industry, and agriculture. The aim of this study is to construct a systematic review in order to identify the main occupational risks and occupational diseases of this category. Research included articles published from 2013 to 2018 on major online databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus), which were obtained using a combination of keywords (migrant workers, expatriates, physical health, diseases, illnesses, travel, travelers, work, and occupational medicine). The online search included 1109 references. We excluded 977 studies because they were unrelated to physical health and another 64 due to duplication. There were 68 articles which were analyzed, including six reviews and 62 original articles. The main risks which emerged are developing infectious diseases, metabolic cardiovascular diseases and manifesting a lower quality of life, in particular due to difficulties in accessing local health services. It will be crucial to implement the role of occupational medicine in order to introduce multilevel interventions designed to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses, and to promote healthier working environments.
Highlights
The term “migrant worker” refers to someone who will be employed or has been employed in a paid activity in a state of which he or she is not a citizen
There are some conceptual differences between the two terms: expatriates are people who leave their country of origin to live in another context but do not intend to live abroad forever, maintaining their original nationality for practical reasons [2]
The studies included in this review focus on the physical health of migrant workers and the main diseases found in this particular category of workers
Summary
The term “migrant worker” refers to someone who will be employed or has been employed in a paid activity in a state of which he or she is not a citizen. Over 60% of migrants live on the Asian continent (about 80 million) and in Europe (about 78 million). Regarding their origin, more than 100 million emigrate from Asia (in particular from India), followed by Europe (61 million), Latin. The term “migrant” is confused with “expatriate”. There are some conceptual differences between the two terms: expatriates are people who leave their country of origin to live in another context but do not intend to live abroad forever, maintaining their original nationality for practical reasons [2]. The term “expatriate” is used for workers from industrialized countries who move abroad for relatively short periods (for example, those engaged in “business travel”)
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