The Occupational Health Of Migrant And Seasonal Farmworkers In The United States

Intended to provide a framework for a research agenda on migrant and seasonal farmworker health and to serve as a resource for all those concerned with farmworker health, this report examines farmworker health data gathered within the past 10-15 years. The document contains the following material: (1) an overview of the major occupational health problems reported by migrant health centers; (2) a summary of the literature on each agricultural health problem presented; (3) information on ongoing research projects on farmworker occupational health; (4) recommendations for research priorities on farmworker health; (5) information on occupational safety and health laws covering agricultural workers; and (6) a resource guide on farmworker occupational safety and health, including training materials. One-third of the report is devoted to specific occupational health problems including communicable diseases, urinary tract infections/kidney problems, heat stress, pesticide-related illness, dermatitis, eye problems, accidents, noninfectious respiratory diseases, cancer, hazards for children in the fields, and hazards for pregnant women and/or the newborn. (JHZ)

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers are largely Latinx men, women, and children. They work in crop, dairy, and livestock production, and are essential to the U.S. agricultural economy—one of the most hazardous and least regulated industries in the United States. Latinx migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the eastern United States experience high rates of illness, injury, and death, indicating widespread occupational injustice. This second edition takes a social justice stance and integrates the past ten years of research and intervention to address health, safety, and justice issues for farmworkers. Contributors cover all major areas of health and safety research for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families, explore the factors that affect the health and safety of farmworkers and their families, and suggest approaches for further research and educational and policy intervention needed to improve the health and safety of Latinx farmworkers and their families. Among the chapter topics are: Occupational injury and illness in Latinx farmworkers in the eastern United States Mental health among Latinx farmworkers in the eastern United States The health of women farmworkers and women in farmworker families in the eastern United States The health of children in the Latinx farmworker community in the eastern United States Community-based participatory research with Latinx farmworker communities in the eastern United States Farm labor and the struggle for justice in the eastern United States Accessibly written and comprehensive in its scope, this second edition of Latinx Farmworkers in the Eastern United States: Health, Safety, and Justice will find an engaged audience among researchers, students, and practitioners in public health, occupational health, public policy, and social and behavioral sciences, as well as labor advocates and healthcare providers.

They work at some of America’s most hazardous jobs, have few protections, and receive some of the lowest wages. Latino Farmworkers in the Eastern United States describes this understudied and underserved population. Taking a social justice stance, this volume examines the health and living conditions of workers in agriculture, while advocating for equality. Contributors cover all major areas of illness and injury (including occupational, environmental, infections, and pesticides), while also focusing on systemic social conditions, from lax industry regulations to lack of basic services—problems that are exacerbated by workers’ status as recent immigrants. Mental health burdens from the effects of discrimination to substance use, as well as the cumulative impact of workers’ separation from families are discussed for a comprehensive, meticulously documented resource. Written to serve both the seasoned professional and the newcomer, Latino Farmworkers in the Eastern United States is a bedrock source of information for those providing health and social services in the community, for researchers investigating health and safety disparities, and for advocates and policymakers working to correct them.