Immigrant Farmworkers Research Articles

Corporate Food Regime y jornaleros inmigrantes en la recolección de fresas en California

This article analyzes the growing role of multinational companies in agri-food chains and their impact on the structure of local production and agricultural labor through the case study of berries grown in the Oxnard, California, area and Mexican immigrant farm workers. She looks specifically at the strategic management of agreements on supply, agricultural technology, and land by commercial companies, together with the effects of partial harvest mechanization and the multi-level system of labor intermediation. The author observes how the evolution of agri-food capital, which according to the analysis of the food regime, constitutes a reorganization of capital in general, influences both the circulation of capital and the social relations of production. She has based her research on a combination of quantitative and, above all, qualitative, techniques.

Race, immigration and the agrarian question: farmworkers becoming farmers in the United States

As White farmers in the United States retire en masse, the racial and ethnic demographics of US farming are shifting to now include a significant number of Latino farm owner-operators. Yet this population of new farmers, contributing specific technical expertise and knowledge, is not represented in current discussions concerning agrarian transitions. This paper draws on interview-based research conducted in the states of California, Maryland, New York, Minnesota and Washington, with first-generation Latino immigrant farmworkers who have transitioned to farm ownership. The majority are practicing small-scale and diverse crop production, with limited synthetic inputs and mostly family labor, as this form of farming allows them to reclaim control over their own labor and livelihoods, while also earning a cash income. The farmers included in this study, and their rationale for farming despite race- and citizenship-based challenges, cannot be understood simply through a lens of class transition. This contribution provides evidence that Latino immigrants’ ascendancy to farm ownership is instead a result of their struggle to redefine their relationship to land and labor in a country where their race and citizenship status have relegated them to the working poor.

The Effects of Homeownership on Civic Participation among Immigrant Farmworkers in Washington State

AbstractHomeownership is generally considered to have positive benefits for families and communities. However, the collapse of the housing market in 2009 led to questions about this assumption, especially for low‐skilled workers whose employment is volatile. This question is particularly relevant to the farmworker population in rural communities for whom homeownership might function as the first step in the path toward social integration. In this study I ask whether homeownership impacts immigrant adaptation among farmworkers in Washington State. To answer this question researchers analyzed 2,845 responses from the Washington State Farm Worker Survey. I divided the sample into renters and homeowners and evaluated behaviors and attitudes along three dimensions: perceptions of community efficacy, civic engagement, and motivations for civic engagement. I found that when compared with those who rent, farmworkers who are homeowners tend to have a greater sense of community efficacy, are more engaged in their communities, and are more motivated to get involved in local affairs. These findings suggest that homeownership can function as a vehicle for immigrant adaptation among Washington State farmworkers. This bodes well for the future of the state's rural areas, where Latinos are increasingly becoming the majority in many agricultural communities.

‘But we can’t call 911’: undocumented immigrant farmworkers and access to social protection in New York

This paper analyzes access to healthcare for undocumented Mexican and Central American immigrant farmworkers who live and work in New York dairies. It assesses the regulatory framework – the conjuncture of immigration, employment, and occupational safety and health laws – which results in workers’ exposure to workplace safety and health risks. It also analyzes their healthcare resource environments, meaning whether and how they gain access to medical services from actors in the public, private, third-party, and informal sectors. The paper finds that there exist significant gaps and contingencies in undocumented dairy farmworkers’ resource environments, and that informal networks largely shape their access to the limited available public and third-party healthcare services available. Findings are based on 43 semi-structured interviews with undocumented dairy farmworkers and participant observation on farms.

After the Incubator: Factors Impeding Land Access Along the Path from Farmworker to Proprietor

Farmworkers aiming to transition to independent proprietorship often benefit from beginning farmer incubator programs that offer agricultural training, subsidized farmland rents, and marketing and business assistance. Incubator initiatives often align with various efforts to stem the tide of shrinking U.S. farm numbers and enhance the viability of small-scale, environmentally and socially regenerative enterprises. Yet even as these promising initiatives provide former farmworkers with initial tools for success, structural barriers can impede beginning farmers' eventual transition to independent proprietorship. Land access is one well-known barrier to entry. Impediments to land access for beginning farmers are frequently framed purely in terms of available acreage and/or sufficient start-up capital. Sociocultural and relational factors mediating land access are less well understood. Our study addresses this gap, examining how sociocultural and relational constraints impede land access for former immigrant farmworkers aspiring to independent farming in California's Central Coast region. We employ qualitative methods, including 26 in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, to explore barriers to land access faced by aspiring small-scale organic farmers participating in an established regional organic farm incubator program. Our findings indicate that these beginning farmers are highly motivated, possess sophisticated farming skills, and wish to shape their livelihoods independently. However, their access to farmland is mediated by landowner and tenant farmer relationships, including lease arrangements, and sociocultural barriers, including ethnicity and/or cultural identity. In a context in which incubator initiatives are envisioned as means to facilitate new entry of former immigrant farmworkers into the agricultural sector, this case study analysis traces specific sociocultural contours associated with land access that impede successful proprietorship for beginning farmers. We conclude by suggesting potential strategies for addressing these barriers to entry in order to facilitate enhanced efficacy of incubator programs. See the press release for this article.&nbsp

Immigrant Farmworkers and Citizenship in Rural California: Playing Soccer in the San Joaquin Valley, by Hugo Santos‐Gomez, El Paso, TX: LFB Scholarly Publishing, 2013. 263 pp. $77.00 (cloth). ISBN: 978‐1‐59332‐618‐0.

Immigrant Farmworkers and Citizenship in Rural California: Playing Soccer in the San Joaquin Valley, by Hugo Santos‐Gomez, El Paso, TX: LFB Scholarly Publishing, 2013. 263 pp. $77.00 (cloth). ISBN: 978‐1‐59332‐618‐0.

Pasos Saludables: A Pilot Randomized Intervention Study to Reduce Obesity in an Immigrant Farmworker Population.

To evaluate a workplace-based diet and physical activity intervention to reduce obesity in a Latino farmworker population. 254 Latino farmworkers were allocated in a 1:2 control:intervention ratio to parallel groups in this randomized controlled study, [Clinical Trial ID# NCT01855282]. Intervention participants attended 10 weekly educational sessions led by promotoras. All participants had anthropometry and lifestyle habits recorded before randomization and at follow-up after 12-14 weeks. Seventy percent (n = 112 intervention and 66 control) completed the study. Intervention females (not controls) decreased the primary outcome measures of weight, BMI, and waist circumference (mean [95% CI]) of -0.7 [-1.3 to -0.1] kg, -0.3 [-0.4 to -0.2] and -0.9 [-1.7 to -0.1] cm, respectively. Intervention participants increased water consumption, fruit and vegetable servings, and moderate physical activity in a dose-dependent fashion. The successful pilot workplace intervention offers a model to reach otherwise difficult-to-access Latino farmworkers.

Introduction

In 1965, the US Congress passed, and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed, the Immigration and Nationality Act (also known as the Hart-Celler Act), which transformed the US immigration system. The new law overturned the four-decade-old National Origins Act of 1924, which imposed a system of immigration restriction using discriminatory quotas based on country of origin. “Up for Debate” features the contributions of four scholars who were asked to reflect broadly on the 1965 law and its legacy as the bill's fiftieth anniversary approaches. Sociologist Daniel J. Tichenor and historian Mae M. Ngai examine the act's passage, consequences, accomplishments, and limitations; historian Cindy Hahamovitch explores the experiences of Jamaican immigrant farmworkers after World War II to demonstrate that other laws were more important in shaping the contours of their lives; and political scientist Christina Gabriel addresses the process and consequences of immigration law reform in Canada.

Stress, Place, and Allostatic Load Among Mexican Immigrant Farmworkers in Oregon.

Cumulative exposure to chronic stressors has been shown to contribute to immigrants' deteriorating health with more time in US residence. Few studies, however, have examined links among common psychosocial stressors for immigrants (e.g., acculturation-related) and contexts of immigrant settlement for physical health. The study investigated relationships among social stressors, stress buffers (e.g., family support), and allostatic load (AL)--a summary measure of physiological "wear and tear"--among 126 adult Mexican immigrant farm workers. Analyses examined social contributors to AL in two locales: (1) White, English-speaking majority sites, and (2) a Mexican immigrant enclave. Our six-point AL scale incorporated immune, cardiovascular, and metabolic measures. Among men and women, older age predicted higher AL. Among women, lower family support related to higher AL in White majority communities only. Findings suggest that Latino immigrants' cumulative experiences in the US significantly compromise their health, with important differences by community context.

Social determinants of health in the Mixtec and Zapotec community in Ventura County, California.

IntroductionThere are an estimated 165,000 indigenous Mexicans living in California, including Mixtec and Zapotec immigrant farm workers. Because many of these immigrants speak only their native non-written languages, there is little information about the needs of this community. An academic-community partnership research team developed a survey to assess basic needs that are known to be social determinants of health in the Mixtec and Zapotec community in Ventura County.MethodsIn summer 2013, Spanish-Mixteco and Spanish-Zapoteco bilingual promotoras conducted surveys in Spanish, Mixteco and Zapoteco in the greater Oxnard area in Ventura County, California to assess the following basic needs: ability of adults and children to obtain health services; household needs regarding work opportunities, food, housing, transportation, safety and education; and discrimination. Independent variables included respondent characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, living part of the year in another city, and household characteristics such as Spanish spoken in the household, number of household members and number of health care providers/agencies used. Several sets of analyses examined the relationship between basic needs and independent variables.ResultsRespondents (N = 989) reported insufficient employment opportunities (74%), food for the family (59%) or housing (48%), lack of transportation (59%), and discrimination or bullying (34%). Most reported access to medical care for children (90%), but only 57% of respondents were able to get health care for themselves.ConclusionsMany basic needs in the Mixtec and Zapotec community in Ventura County are unmet. It will require many different resources and services to address the needs of this community and to overcome longstanding inequities that are experienced by immigrant farm workers. Our findings will guide the development of future health programs and will serve as a baseline to evaluate the impact of services to improve the health conditions in this community.

Abstract B54: Latina farmworkers: Relationships between Pap screening behaviors, acculturation, and cultural cancer screening scales

Abstract Background: Latinas are disproportionately burdened with cervical cancer, with incidence rates of 11.5 per 100,000 and the second highest mortality rates of 4 per 100,000, yet they have the lowest participation rates in national cervical cancer screening programs. Psychosocial factors have been identified as one of the main barriers for low cancer screening rates among Latinas. In this study, we explored cultural cancer screening beliefs (CCSB), acculturation levels, past Pap screening behavior and intent to undergo Pap tests among Mexican farmworker women in South Georgia. Methods: We screened 252 Latinas using our eligibility criteria which specified 1) Mexican immigrant, 2) no Pap test in over 2 years, 3) 20 women who lived >10 years in the U.S. and 20 women who lived ≤10 years in the U.S, and 4) had a farmworker background. We recruited a quota sample of 40 Mexican immigrant women meeting eligibility criteria. We administered questionnaires to collect demographic information and Pap screening behaviors. We also used the Acculturation Scale for Mexican Americans (ASMA) to measure acculturation behaviors and the Cultural Cancer Screening Scale (CCSS) scale (20-item scale with 5 constructs).We assessed the internal consistency of the scales and constructs using Cronbach's alphas. Differences between the groups of women given their prior screening behaviors or intent to undergo screening with respect to each of cultural cancer screening or acculturation scale measures, respectively, were assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis rank test. When the test was statistically significant, post-hoc pairwise comparisons were performed. Results: Out of 40 women, 7(18%) never had a Pap; 2 (5%) had it less than 3 years ago, and 31 (78%) had it more than three years ago. Thirty-two (80%) women expected to have their next Pap smear 1 yr. or less; 4 women (10%) >1 not more than 3 years; 1 (3%) woman reported that it was their first time getting a Pap smear, and 3 (8%) women did not respond. With the exception of sociocultural deterrents (alpha = 0.67), internal consistency of cancer screening fatalism (alpha = 0.94), symptomatic deterrents (alpha = 0.95), catastrophic disease expectations (alpha = 0.87), and negative beliefs about health professionals (alpha = 0.77) were high. Internal consistency of CCSS was 0.91. The estimated mean score for acculturation was 0.98 (SD =0.77; range: 0 – 2). Women who reported never having a Pap test compared to women who reported having their Pap test more than three years ago were more likely to consider health professionals performing screening examinations to not be trustworthy (mean ranks=32 and 18 respectively, p= 0.003). Women who reported never having a Pap test compared to women who reported having their Pap test more than three years ago were more likely to believe that health professionals inappropriately touch their patients during screening examinations (mean ranks 33 and 18, respectively; p = 0.001). Other associations were not statistically significant. The difference between the groups of women based on their intent to undergo future Pap tests and each of cultural cancer screening scale measures was not significant. No statistically significant associations were found between acculturation measures and past or intended screening behavior of women, respectively. Conclusions: The two psychosocial factors associated with lack of past screening behavior reflect the negative beliefs about health professionals among Mexican immigrant farmworker women. Despite variability in time spent living in the U.S. and scores on an acculturation scale, these variables were not related to past screening or intent to screen. Other factors, such as access to health care, discrimination, and transportation issues need to be explored in future studies to understand their relationship with low screening rates in Latina subpopulations such as low-income Mexican farmworkers. Citation Format: Lisa C. Watson, Yelena Tarasenko, Moya Alfonso, Claudia Reyes-Garcia, John S. Luque. Latina farmworkers: Relationships between Pap screening behaviors, acculturation, and cultural cancer screening scales. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B54. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-B54

Evaluating Job Demands and Control Measures for Use in Farm Worker Health Surveillance.

Workplace stress likely plays a role in health disparities; however, applying standard measures to studies of immigrants requires thoughtful consideration. The goal of this study was to determine the appropriateness of two measures of occupational stressors ('decision latitude' and 'job demands') for use with mostly immigrant Latino farm workers. Cross-sectional data from a pilot module containing a four-item measure of decision latitude and a two-item measure of job demands were obtained from a subsample (N = 409) of farm workers participating in the National Agricultural Workers Survey. Responses to items for both constructs were clustered toward the low end of the structured response-set. Percentages of responses of 'very often' and 'always' for each of the items were examined by educational attainment, birth country, dominant language spoken, task, and crop. Cronbach's α, when stratified by subgroups of workers, for the decision latitude items were (0.65-0.90), but were less robust for the job demands items (0.25-0.72). The four-item decision latitude scale can be applied to occupational stress research with immigrant farm workers, and potentially other immigrant Latino worker groups. The short job demands scale requires further investigation and evaluation before suggesting widespread use.

Concentrations of the urinary pyrethroid metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid in farm worker families in the MICASA study

Indoor pesticide exposure is a growing concern, particularly from pyrethroids, a commonly used class of pesticides. Pyrethroid concentrations may be especially high in homes of immigrant farm worker families who often live in close proximity to agricultural fields, and are faced with poor housing conditions, causing higher pest infestation and more pesticide use. We investigate exposure of farm worker families to pyrethroids in a study of mothers and children living in Mendota, CA within the population-based Mexican Immigration to California: Agricultural Safety and Acculturation (MICASA) Study. We present pyrethroid exposure based on an ELISA analysis of urinary metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA) levels among 105 women and 103 children. The median urinary 3PBA levels (children=2.56ug/g creatinine, mothers=1.46ug/g creatinine) were higher than those reported in population based studies for the United States general population, but similar to or lower than studies with known high levels of pyrethroid exposure. A positive association was evident between poor housing conditions and the urinary metabolite levels, showing that poor housing conditions are a contributing factor to the higher levels of 3PBA seen in the urine of these farm worker families. Further research is warranted to fully investigate sources of exposure.

Farm Mapping to Assist, Protect, and Prepare Emergency Responders: Farm MAPPER

ABSTRACTResponders such as firefighters and emergency medical technicians who respond to farm emergencies often face complex and unknown environments. They may encounter hazards such as fuels, solvents, pesticides, caustics, and exploding gas storage cylinders. Responders may be unaware of dirt roads within the farm that can expedite their arrival at critical sites or snow-covered manure pits that act as hidden hazards. A response to a farm, unless guided by someone familiar with the operation, may present a risk to responders and post a challenge in locating the victim. This project explored the use of a Web-based farm-mapping application optimized for tablets and accessible via easily accessible on-site matrix barcodes, or quick response codes (QR codes), to provide emergency responders with hazard and resource information to agricultural operations. Secured portals were developed for both farmers and responders, allowing both parties to populate and customize farm maps with icons. Data were stored online and linked to QR codes attached to mailbox posts where emergency responders may read them with a mobile device. Mock responses were conducted on dairy farms to test QR code linking efficacy, Web site security, and field usability. Findings from farmer usability tests showed willingness to enter data as well as ease of Web site navigation and data entry even with farmers who had limited computer knowledge. Usability tests with emergency responders showed ease of QR code connectivity to the farm maps and ease of Web site navigation. Further research is needed to improve data security as well as assess the program’s applicability to nonfarm environments and integration with existing emergency response systems. The next phases of this project will expand the program for regional and national use, develop QR code–linked, Web-based extrication guidance for farm machinery for victim entrapment rescue, and create QR code–linked online training videos and materials for limited English proficient immigrant farm workers.

“They Talk Like That, But We Keep Working”: Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Experiences Among Mexican Indigenous Farmworker Women in Oregon

In order to examine the experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault among indigenous and non-indigenous Mexican immigrant farmworkers in Oregon's Willamette Valley, a community-academic participatory research partnership initiated a study, which included focus groups, conducted and analyzed by skilled practitioners and researchers. The themes that emerged from the focus groups included direct and indirect effects of sexual harassment and sexual assault on women and risk factors associated with the farmworker workplace environment, and the increased vulnerability of non-Spanish-speaking indigenous women due to low social status, poverty, cultural and linguistic issues, and isolation. Recommendations for prevention and improved services for vulnerable women will be discussed as well as limitations and future research directions.

Factors Associated with Agricultural Work Performed by Adolescents from an Immigrant Farm Worker Population (MICASA Study)

While studies have looked at the relationship of adolescent employment with health outcomes and risk behaviors, few have focused on children of hired farm workers. These children face unique challenges affecting their health and work environment. Exploring the frequency and nature of agricultural work characteristics among adolescent children of Hispanic hired farm workers is important for assessing the potential risks they face. MICASA is a population-based study of settled immigrant Hispanic farm working families in Mendota, California. We selected a cross-sectional random sample of adolescents (ages 11 to 18). Interviews assessed work history, place of birth, and acculturation. 38% of participants were female and 62% were male; 55% were born in the U.S., 38% in Mexico, and 7% in El Salvador; and 49% worked for pay during the last year. Among those who worked, farm work was most frequently reported (73.5%). Among those who had done farm work, the mean age at initiation was 14 years, and they worked a mean of 4.3 weeks during the previous year. Hoeing, picking, and packing/sorting were the most common tasks. In models adjusted for age and sex, low-acculturated adolescents were more likely than moderately acculturated to have worked in the past 12 months, to start work younger than age 14 years, and to do farm work. Farm work is common among adolescents in this Hispanic agricultural community and is strongly associated with foreign birth and low acculturation.

Pyrethroids in house dust from the homes of farm worker families in the MICASA study

Indoor pesticide exposure is a growing concern, particularly for pyrethroids, a commonly used class of pesticides. Pyrethroid concentrations may be especially high in homes of immigrant farm worker families, who often live in close proximity to agricultural fields and are faced with poor housing conditions, potentially causing high pest infestation and pesticide use. We investigate levels of pyrethroids in the house dust of farm worker family homes in a study of mothers and children living in Mendota, CA, within the population-based Mexican Immigration to California: Agricultural Safety and Acculturation (MICASA) Study. We present pesticide use data and levels of pyrethroid pesticides in indoor dust collected in 2009 as measured by questionnaires and a GC/MS analysis of the pyrethroids cis- and trans-permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate and resmethrin in single dust samples collected from 55 households. Cis- and trans-permethrin had the highest detection frequencies at 67%, with median concentrations of 244 and 172ng/g dust, respectively. Cypermethrin was detected in 52% of the homes and had a median concentration of 186ng/g dust. Esfenvalerate, resmethrin and deltamethrin were detected in less than half the samples. We compared the pyrethroid concentrations found in our study to other studies looking at both rural and urban homes and daycares. Lower detection frequencies and/or lower median concentrations of cis- and trans-permethrin and cypermethrin were observed in our study as compared to those studies. However, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate and resmethrin were detected more frequently in the house dust from our study than in the other studies. Because households whose children had higher urinary pyrethroid metabolite levels were more likely to be analyzed in this study, a positive bias in our estimates of household pyrethroid levels may be expected. A positive association was observed with reported outdoor pesticide use and cypermethrin levels found in the indoor dust samples (rs=0.28, p=0.0450). There was also a positive association seen with summed pyrethroid levels in house dust and the results of a pesticide inventory conducted by field staff (rs=0.32, p=0.018), a potentially useful predictor of pesticide exposure in farm worker family homes. Further research is warranted to fully investigate the utility of such a measure.

Erratum to: Musculoskeletal Injury, Functional Disability, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Aging Mexican Immigrant Farmworkers

Erratum to: Musculoskeletal Injury, Functional Disability, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Aging Mexican Immigrant Farmworkers

Unclear Relationship: Prenatal but not Concurrent Bisphenol A Exposure Linked to Lower Weight and Less Fat

Vol. 121, No. 4 News | Science SelectionsOpen AccessUnclear Relationship: Prenatal but not Concurrent Bisphenol A Exposure Linked to Lower Weight and Less Fat Kellyn S. Betts Kellyn S. Betts Search for more papers by this author Published:1 April 2013https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.121-a135View Article in:中文版AboutSectionsPDF ToolsDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InReddit The first prospective study to estimate effects of prenatal and early-life exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) on children’s body mass has found that girls who were exposed to the highest concentrations in utero had lower weight for their height and were less likely to be obese at age 9 than girls with the lowest exposures [EHP 121(4):514–520; http://dx.doi.org/1205548]. However, the same was not true of boys, and a cross-sectional analysis of both sexes at age 9 showed a positive association between current BPA urinary concentrations and obesity.The children and their mothers were participants in the CHAMACOS (Center for the Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas) cohort study at the University of California, Berkeley. The mothers, most of them immigrant farmworkers, were pregnant in 1999 and 2000 when they were recruited by Berkeley researchers.BPA is found in consumer products including polycarbonate water and food containers, epoxy-lined food cans, dental sealants, and thermal papers. Food is believed to be the major source of exposure.BPA is one of the world’s most studied chemicals. Animal and in vitro studies show it is an endocrine disruptor that appears to interfere with estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormone pathways. Many animal studies have linked perinatal exposure to environmentally relevant levels of BPA with increased body mass, suggesting it may be an obesogen. However, animals dosed with similar levels of the chemical in other studies have had decreased body mass or no change.Further complicating the issue is the fact that, in many of these studies, the increase in body weight in association with prenatal BPA exposure wasn’t apparent until the animals reached sexual maturity. The new study’s association between prenatal exposure and decreased body mass was strongest for girls who had not yet reached puberty. Additional followup as the girls progress to sexual maturity should provide information to either support or refute the animal findings.Cross-sectional studies have found an association between obesity and urinary levels of BPA, but it’s unclear whether BPA contributes to obesity or whether the diet of obese people results in greater BPA exposures.© AP Photo/Matt RourkeThe observed association between higher current concentrations of BPA in both male and female 9-year-olds with higher body fat and obesity levels is consistent with findings from other cross-sectional studies of adults and older children. The authors suggest that obese children may have higher urinary BPA levels because they eat more foods in plastic packaging or simply because they take in more calories—in other words, higher BPA levels could be a consequence of dietary habits that lead to obesity rather than a direct cause of obesity.One limitation of this and other cross-sectional studies is that urinary BPA concentrations vary widely throughout the day, so a given sample is likely to reflect exposure only over the previous 4–6 hours. The Berkeley team plans to continue to follow the children to help clarify whether and how early BPA exposure is associated with body mass as they progress through puberty.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 121, No. 4 April 2013Metrics Downloaded 122 times About Article Metrics Publication History Originally published1 April 2013Published in print1 April 2013 Financial disclosuresPDF download License information EHP is an open-access journal published with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. All content is public domain unless otherwise noted. Note to readers with disabilities EHP strives to ensure that all journal content is accessible to all readers. However, some figures and Supplemental Material published in EHP articles may not conform to 508 standards due to the complexity of the information being presented. If you need assistance accessing journal content, please contact [email protected]. Our staff will work with you to assess and meet your accessibility needs within 3 working days.

Musculoskeletal Injury, Functional Disability, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Aging Mexican Immigrant Farmworkers

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers are at high risk for musculoskeletal and other occupational injuries. Although persons aged 40-80 years account for 40 % of all US farmworkers and as many as 50 % in certain regions, little is known about their occupational health issues. The current study examined work-related persistent musculoskeletal injuries (PMIs) and their association with clinical and functional indicators of disability and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in 177 middle-aged and elderly US-Mexico border farmworkers. At interview, 68 % reported current PMI pain; 51 % had pain at multiple sites. PMI pain was associated with increased shoulder, knee, and lower extremity dysfunction and reduced HRQOL scores. However, fewer than 25 % of injured participants received any conventional medical treatment. The study results indicated that work-related PMIs, especially multiple PMIs, caused significant functional impairment, disability, and poorer HRQOL, adversely affecting the ability of the aging farmworkers to perform work, self-care, and other daily activities.