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BACKGROUND: In this article, I utilize the concept of the Plantationocene as an analytical framework to generate a holistic and historical understanding of the present-day struggles of a mostly Haitian migrant workforce on sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. METHODS: Inspired by Paul Farmer's methodology, I combine political economy, history, and ethnography approaches to interpret the experiences of sugarcane cutters across historical and contemporary iterations of colonial, post-colonial, and neo-colonial practices over the course of five centuries. RESULTS: My findings elucidate the enduring power of capitalism, implicating corporate and state elites, as the structural scaffolding for acts of racialized violence that condition the life-and-death circumstances of Black laborers on Caribbean plantations to this day. Although today's sugarcane cutters may suffer differently than their enslaved or wage labor ancestors on the plantation, I argue that an unfettered racialized pattern of lethal exploitation is sustained through the structural violence of neoliberalism that links present conditions with the colonial past. CONCLUSIONS: Ultimately, this paper contributes understandings of the plantationocene's enduring effects in the global south by demonstrating how imperialist arrangements of capitalism are not a distant memory from the colonial past but instead are present yet hidden and obscured while relocated and reanimated overseas to countries like the Dominican Republic, where American capitalists still exploit Black bodies for profit and power.
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Etnicidade , Açúcares , Humanos , República Dominicana , Haiti , CapitalismoRESUMO
Climate change amplifies social inequities, disproportionately impacting the health and well-being of populations already vulnerable to social risk factors associated with race, ethnicity, immigration status, and occupation. Recent hurricanes, extreme temperatures, wildfires, and droughts have directly impacted vulnerable populations, including farmworkers in the US and its territories. Understanding how systems increase poor health outcomes for farmworkers is important to create solutions that are practical, feasible, and sustainable. In this commentary, we discuss a framework to assess the climate crisis and its impact on farmworkers. Although environmental stressors impact all populations, the difference in the systems or structures surrounding individuals can increase the risks and diseases of vulnerable populations when responding to the effects of the climate crisis. This framework presents policies and systems that could be limiting for agricultural workers when exposed to environmental stressors and the direct or indirect consequences of not addressing them.
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Fazendeiros , Migrantes , Humanos , Mudança Climática , Meio Ambiente , Fatores de Risco , Desigualdades de SaúdeRESUMO
Improving mental health outcomes for agricultural populations is dependent on understanding the unique farming related stressors in context of the local culture and community. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of stressors and mental health risks among farmers and farmworkers in a rural, medically underserved US-Mexico border region. Of 135 study respondents, 55.6% (n = 18) farmers had clinical depression symptomatology based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies depression screening scale (CES-D) and 40.2% (n = 117) farmworkers had stress levels that pose significant mental health risks based on the Migrant Farmworker Stress Inventory. Farmworker females were 2.3 times more likely to have a score of clinical concern. Results provide an understanding of the distinct sources of stress for both farmers and farmworkers and the mental health challenges across the industry. With an understanding that suicide is the third leading cause of injury death in Imperial County and depression associated with an increased risk of suicidality, the agricultural workforce in Imperial County is particularly vulnerable. Local farm organizations, employers, and community organizations can help increase mental health access, acceptability, and availability to achieve greater safety and health in the region's largest workforce.
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Saúde Mental , Migrantes , Feminino , Humanos , Fazendeiros/psicologia , México/epidemiologia , Agricultura , População RuralRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Previous epidemiological studies have reported associations of pesticide exposure with poor cognitive function and behavioral problems. However, these findings have relied primarily on neuropsychological assessments. Questions remain about the neurobiological effects of pesticide exposure, specifically where in the brain pesticides exert their effects and whether compensatory mechanisms in the brain may have masked pesticide-related associations in studies that relied purely on neuropsychological measures. METHODS: We conducted a functional neuroimaging study in 48 farmworkers from Zarcero County, Costa Rica, in 2016. We measured concentrations of 13 insecticide, fungicide, or herbicide metabolites or parent compounds in urine samples collected during two study visits (approximately 3-5 weeks apart). We assessed cortical brain activation in the prefrontal cortex during tasks of working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We estimated associations of pesticide exposure with cortical brain activation using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age and education level. RESULTS: We found that higher concentrations of insecticide metabolites were associated with reduced activation in the prefrontal cortex during a working memory task. For example, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy; a metabolite of the organophosphate chlorpyrifos) was associated with reduced activation in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (ß = -2.3; 95% CI: -3.9, -0.7 per two-fold increase in TCPy). Similarly, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA; a metabolite of pyrethroid insecticides) was associated with bilateral reduced activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (ß = -3.1; 95% CI: -5.0, -1.2 and -2.3; 95% CI: -4.5, -0.2 per two-fold increase in 3-PBA for left and right cortices, respectively). These associations were similar, though weaker, for the attention and cognitive flexibility tasks. We observed null associations of fungicide and herbicide biomarker concentrations with cortical brain activation during the three tasks that were administered. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides may impact cortical brain activation in the prefrontal cortex - neural dynamics that could potentially underlie previously reported associations with cognitive and behavioral function. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the feasibility and utility of fNIRS in epidemiological field studies.
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Clorpirifos , Fungicidas Industriais , Herbicidas , Inseticidas , Praguicidas , Piretrinas , Humanos , Praguicidas/urina , Fazendeiros , Costa Rica , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
Background: Migrant and seasonal farmworkers face enormous barriers to health and have been a particularly vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic, but their pandemic experiences and potential inequities have not been well studied. Objectives: We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 in Immokalee, Florida, a community with a significant population of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. We evaluated for differences in pandemic experience by language, a known barrier to healthcare, to inform and strengthen future public health efforts. Methods: First, to estimate the burden of COVID in the area, we conducted a descriptive analysis of data on COVID-19 deaths for Collier County from May-August 2020. We then surveyed a cross-sectional, randomized representative sample of 318 adults living in Immokalee from March-November 2020 to assess socio-demographics, workplace conditions, sources of information, ability to follow guidelines, and experiences with testing and contact tracing programs. Results were compared across language groups. Findings: Average excess mortality in Collier County was 108%. The majority surveyed in Immokalee had socio-demographic factors associated with higher COVID risk. Non-English speakers had higher workplace risk due to less ability to work from home. Haitian Creole speakers were less likely to be tested, though all participants were willing to get symptomatic testing and quarantine. Those participants who tested positive or had COVID-19 exposures had low engagement with the contact tracing program, and Spanish-speakers reported lower quality of contact tracing than English speakers. Conclusions: The community of Immokalee, FL is a vulnerable population that suffered disproportionate deaths from COVID-19. This study reveals language inequities in COVID testing and contact tracing that should be targeted in future pandemic response in Immokalee and other migrant farmworker communities.
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COVID-19 , Migrantes , Adulto , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Teste para COVID-19 , Busca de Comunicante , Estudos Transversais , Fazendeiros , Florida/epidemiologia , Haiti/epidemiologia , Humanos , PandemiasRESUMO
Poultry farming represents Peru's primary food animal production industry, where antimicrobial growth promoters are still commonly used, exerting selective pressure on intestinal microbial populations. Consumption and direct animal-to-human transmission have been reported, and farmworkers are at high risk of colonization with resistant bacteria. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 54 farmworkers to understand their current antimicrobial resistance (AMR) awareness in Ica, Peru. To gain insight into the potential work-related risk of exposure to bacteria, we also measured the AMR rates in Escherichia coli isolated among 50 broiler chickens. Farmworkers were unaware of antimicrobial resistance (31.5%) or antibiotic resistance (16.7%) terms. Almost two-thirds (61%) consumed antibiotics during the previous month, and only 42.6% received a prescription from a healthcare professional. A total of 107 E. coli chicken isolates were obtained, showing a high frequency of multidrug-resistant (89.7%) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production (71.9%). Among ESBL-producer isolates, 84.4% carried the blaCTX-M gene. Results identified gaps in knowledge that reflect the need for interventions to increase antimicrobial awareness among poultry farmworkers. The high AMR rates among E. coli isolates highlight the need to reduce antimicrobial use in poultry farms. Our findings reveal a critical need for effective policy development and antimicrobial stewardship interventions in poultry production in Ica, Peru.
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Hispanic/Latino and migrant workers experience high degrees of occupational stress, constitute most of California's agricultural workforce, and were among the most impacted populations by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, relatively little is known about the occupational stress experienced by farmworkers who commute daily between the US and Mexico. Occupational stress is considered an imbalance between the demands at work and the capabilities to respond in the context of the workforce. The goal of this study is to determine the type and severity of stressors in daytime and resident farmworkers and how COVID-19 vaccination status contributes to these stressors. Interviews containing the Migrant Farmworker Stress Inventory (MSWSI) were administered to a sample of 199 Hispanic/Latino farmworkers in Imperial County, a multi-billion-dollar agriculture sector in the US. Principal factor analysis differentiated latent factors in the MFSWI. Simple linear regression models and correlations identified associations between MFWSI scores and sample characteristics. The MFWSI reduced to five stressor domains: Health and Well-Being Vulnerabilities, Inadequate Standards of Living/Unknown Conditions of Living, Working Conditions, Working Environment, and Language Barriers. Approximately 40 percent of the respondents reported significant stress levels, with foreign-born (p = 0.014) and older respondents (p = 0.0415) being more likely to experience elevated stress regardless of their nighttime residence. We found that Spanish-language COVID-19 outreach might have been particularly effective for workers who reported high stress from English-language communication (p = 0.001). Moreover, our findings point to the importance of worker and human rights to mitigate the high-stress foreign-born workers who live in Mexico and the US experience.
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COVID-19 , Migrantes , Agricultura , Vacinas contra COVID-19 , Fazendeiros , Hispânico ou Latino , Humanos , México , Pandemias , SARS-CoV-2 , Meios de TransporteRESUMO
We carried out a meta-analytical review of possible DNA damage resulting from occupational exposure to pesticides in farmers in the scientific literature. After the search, screening, and eligibility criteria steps, we included 42 studies to analyze random effect calculation. DNA damage in farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides represents an effect of SMD 4.63 [CI 95% 3.94-5.32; p <0.001]. We observed a high heterogeneity rate between the studies and an asymmetry of the bias analysis results. We performed a meta-regression on the parameters. The Olive Tail Moment (OTM) was the most effective comet assay parameter in the evaluated studies. The Damage Index (DI) was more conservative and highlighted the variability between studies caused by distinct methodologies that showed more significant effects and greater deviations. An analysis of confounding factors demonstrated a slight DNA damage in smokers who were occupationally exposed to pesticides compared to nonsmokers, indicating genotoxicity but smaller than the pesticide effect. The present study shows the greater risk that occupationally exposed rural workers have of developing related diseases due to pesticides' genotoxic effect.
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Exposição Ocupacional , Praguicidas , Ensaio Cometa , Dano ao DNA , Fazendeiros , Humanos , Exposição Ocupacional/análise , Praguicidas/efeitos adversosRESUMO
It is important to understand genetics within the context of health. This paper assesses (a) genetic knowledge among Mexican-born farmworker and non-farmworker adults; (b) their interpersonal and device sources of genetic knowledge; and (c) the association between their genetic knowledge and the sources of this genetic knowledge.Interviews were conducted with Mexican-born farmworkers (100) and non-farmworkers (100) in North Carolina. Participants answered 15 questions to assess genetic knowledge, and sources from which they had seen or heard about genes and genetics.Results show limited knowledge of genetics, with farmworkers and non-farmworkers providing a similar level of correct responses (6.6 versus 7.3), but with farmworkers providing more incorrect responses (4.0 versus 2.7). Important sources of genetic information for farmworkers were promotoras (47%), compared to teachers (49%) for non-farmworkers.This study demonstrates a need for increased dissemination of genetic information to Mexican-origin farmworkers and non-farmworkers.
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Fazendeiros , Migrantes , Adulto , Agricultura , Comunicação , Hispânico ou Latino , Humanos , Conhecimento , México , North CarolinaRESUMO
Alterations of global DNA methylation have been evaluated in several studies worldwide; however, Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements-1 (LINE-1) methylation in genetically conserved populations such as indigenous communities have not, to our knowledge, been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between LINE-1 methylation patterns and factors such as pesticide exposure and socio-cultural characteristics in the Indigenous Huichol Population of Nayarit, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 140 Huichol indigenous individuals. A structured questionnaire was used to determine general and anthropometric characteristics, diet, harmful habits, and pesticide exposure. DNA methylation was determined by pyrosequencing of bisulfite-treated DNA. A lower level of LINE-1 methylation was found in the indigenous population when compared to a Mestizo population previously studied by our group. This difference might be due to the influence of the genetic admixture and differing dietary and lifestyle habits. The males in the indigenous population exhibited increased LINE-1 methylation in comparison to the females. Sex and alcohol consumption showed positive associations with LINE-1 methylation, while weight, current work in the field, current pesticide usage, and folate intake exhibited negative associations with LINE-1 methylation. The results suggest that ethnicity, as well as other internal and environmental factors, might influence LINE-1 methylation.
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Metilação de DNA , Grupos Populacionais , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Elementos Nucleotídeos Longos e Dispersos/genética , Masculino , MéxicoRESUMO
Main sources of manganese (Mn) in the general population are diet and drinking water. Mn is also found in ethylene bisdithiocarbamate (EBDC) fungicides used in agriculture or emitted into the air by ferromanganese plants and welding fumes, which can be additional environmental and occupational sources of exposure. High occupational Mn exposure has been linked with motor, behavioral, and cognitive impairment, but its effects on neural function remain poorly understood. We conducted a functional neuroimaging study in a sample of 48 farmworkers in Zarcero County, Costa Rica, an agricultural region where EBDC fungicides are sprayed. We measured Mn concentrations in farmworkers' toenails (nâ¯=â¯40 farmworkers) and hair (nâ¯=â¯33 farmworkers), and recorded brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during a letter-retrieval working memory task using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We estimated exposure-outcome associations using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age and education level. Geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) toenail and hair Mn concentrations were 0.40⯵g/g (3.52) and 0.24⯵g/g (3.54), respectively. We did not find strong evidence that Mn concentrations were associated with working memory-related brain activity in this sample of farmworkers; we also found null associations between working memory task accuracy and brain activity. However, our small sample size may have limited our ability to detect small effect sizes with statistical precision. Our study demonstrates that fNIRS can be a useful and feasible tool in environmental epidemiology for examining the effects of toxicants, like Mn, on neural function. This may prove to be important for elucidating neuropathological pathways that underlie previously reported associations of elevated Mn exposure with neurotoxic effects.
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Manganês , Memória de Curto Prazo , Exposição Ocupacional/estatística & dados numéricos , Encéfalo , Costa Rica , Fazendeiros , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Projetos PilotoRESUMO
Objectives: This analysis documents the use of conventional health-care providers, traditional healers, and complementary therapies by Mexican farmworkers; identifies the purposes and perceived helpfulness of these modalities; and delineates variation in the use of traditional healers and complementary therapies. Methods: Two-hundred Mexican farmworkers in North Carolina completed interviews May-September, 2017. The International Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (I-CAM-Q) elicited use of conventional health-care providers, traditional healers, and complementary therapies in the previous 12 months. Results: Most of the farmworkers had been treated by a conventional provider (63.0%). One-in-five had been treated by any traditional healer; 19.5% had been treated by a sobador, 4.5% by a curandero, 2.0% by an herbalist, and 2.0% by a spiritual healer. Conventional providers (69.8%) and sobadores (84.6%) most often treated acute conditions; 62.5% had used an herb, 46.0% a vitamin, 57.0% an over-the-counter medicine, and 13.5% a home remedy. Participants used various self-care practices, including music (36.5%), sleep (18.0%), prayer for health (15.0%), and social media (14.0%). Education was inversely associated with the use of a traditional healer and herbs; treatment by a conventional health-care provider was positively associated with using a traditional healer and vitamins. Conclusions: Mexican farmworkers use conventional health-care providers as well as traditional healers and complementary therapies. Research on how use of complementary therapies and a system of medical pluralism affects farmworker health is needed. Health-care providers need to recognize complementary therapy use and provide patient education about ineffective or harmful therapies.
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Terapias Complementares/estatística & dados numéricos , Fazendeiros , Medicina Tradicional/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Escolaridade , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , México/etnologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Medicamentos sem Prescrição/uso terapêutico , North Carolina , Fitoterapia , Plantas Medicinais , Autocuidado/estatística & dados numéricos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Migrantes/estatística & dados numéricosRESUMO
ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the epidemiological profile of farmworkers exposed to pesticides in the city of Casimiro de Abreu, Rio de Janeiro State. Method: cross-sectional study, conducted through a questionnaire. The collected data were typed in spreadsheet and processed in the R software. Results: the predominance of female participants, between 40 and 60 years old, married, with some elementary education was observed. Furthermore, the family labor and the production for their own consumption and trade prevail. Herbicide is the most widely used pesticide. Most informants present poisoning symptoms, as they do not use Personal Protective Equipment nor sunscreen. Breast cancer is the most frequent in families; among the participants, 31% had hypertension and 6.4% diabetes. Conclusion: a population vulnerable to environmental and occupational risks, specially the middle-aged group and women, sets up a profile marked by regional differences.
RESUMEN Objetivo: describir el perfil epidemiológico de los trabajadores rurales expuestos a agrotóxicos en el municipio de Casimiro de Abreu, estado de Río de Janeiro. Método: estudio transversal, realizado por medio de un cuestionario. Los datos recolectados fueron digitados en planilla electrónica y procesados en el Programa R. Resultados: se constató predominio de participantes del sexo femenino, entre cuarenta y sesenta años, casadas, con enseñanza fundamental incompleta. Además, prevalecen la mano de obra familiar y la producción para el propio consumo y comercio. Herbicida es el agrotóxico más utilizado. La mayoría de los informantes presenta un síntoma de intoxicación, no utiliza equipo de protección individual ni protector solar. El cáncer de mama es el más frecuente en las familias; de los participantes se identificaron un 31% hipertensos y un 6,4% diabéticos. Conclusión: una población vulnerable a los riesgos ambientales y ocupacionales, con destaque para el grupo de mediana edad y del sexo femenino, configura un perfil marcado por diferencias regionales.
RESUMO Objetivo: descrever o perfil epidemiológico dos trabalhadores rurais expostos a agrotóxicos no município de Casimiro de Abreu, estado do Rio de Janeiro. Método: estudo transversal, realizado por meio de questionário. Os dados coletados foram digitados em planilha eletrônica e processados no Programa R. Resultados: constatou-se predomínio de participantes do sexo feminino, entre quarenta e sessenta anos, casadas, com ensino fundamental incompleto. Ademais, prevalecem a mão de obra familiar e a produção para o próprio consumo e comércio. Herbicida é o agrotóxico mais utilizado. A maioria dos informantes apresenta sintoma de intoxicação, não utiliza Equipamento de Proteção Individual nem protetor solar. O câncer de mama é o mais frequente nas famílias; dentre os participantes identificaram-se 31% hipertensos e 6,4% diabéticos. Conclusão: uma população vulnerável aos riscos ambientais e ocupacionais, com destaque para o grupo de meia idade e do sexo feminino, configura um perfil marcado por diferenças regionais.
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Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Traumatismos Ocupacionais/epidemiologia , Fazendeiros/estatística & dados numéricos , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Brasil/epidemiologia , Estudos Transversais , Inquéritos e Questionários , Exposição Ocupacional/efeitos adversos , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Latino farmworkers are exposed to a number of carcinogens in the workplace. Cancer survival rates for Latinos are below average. This paper describes Mexican immigrant farmworkers' knowledge of colorectal, breast, and testicular cancer, and compares farmworkers' cancer knowledge to that of other Mexican immigrants. Survey interviews for this study were conducted with 100 farmworkers and 100 non-farmworkers in 2015 in North Carolina as part of an ongoing community-based participatory research project. We found low to moderate levels of knowledge about colorectal, breast, and testicular cancer among farmworkers. Compared to non-farmworkers, farmworkers had similar levels of knowledge about breast and testicular cancer, but slightly lower knowledge about colorectal cancer (p = 0.0087). Few studies have used quantitative methods to assess farmworkers' knowledge of specific types of cancer. Our results demonstrate a need for increased dissemination of existing cancer education programs and further research to develop additional educational tools.
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Fazendeiros/estatística & dados numéricos , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde/etnologia , Hispânico ou Latino/estatística & dados numéricos , Neoplasias/etnologia , Migrantes/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Neoplasias da Mama/etnologia , Neoplasias Colorretais/etnologia , Pesquisa Participativa Baseada na Comunidade , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , North Carolina , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Neoplasias Testiculares/etnologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Expanding agribusiness in Sonora, a state in Northern Mexico, has increased the demand for temporary migrant agricultural workers. Sonora is one of the top states in Mexico for pesticide utilization. We conducted an exploratory study to evaluate exposure to organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid pesticides among migrant farmworkers. A sample of 20 migrant farmworkers was recruited from a large commercial grape farm during the harvest season. We administered a questionnaire on work activities, exposure characteristics, and socio-demographics. We collected urine samples to quantify pesticide metabolite concentrations. Most participants were originally from the state of Chiapas, Mexico, none had completed high school, and about half spoke an indigenous language as well as Spanish. The majority of participants had detectable concentrations of pyrethroid and organophosphate biomarkers. Geometric mean creatinine-adjusted concentrations for 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (1.83 µg/g), trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (0.88 µg/g), 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (0.94 µg/g), 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (3.56 µg/g), and para-nitrophenol (0.63 µg/g) were significantly higher than in the general United States' population and Mexican Americans. Our results also suggest that migrant farmworkers in this region are exposed to pesticides at higher levels than other farmworkers' studies. Farmworkers' age, language, training on personal protective equipment, time at the farm, and season, were significant exposure determinants.
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Agricultura/estatística & dados numéricos , Fazendeiros/estatística & dados numéricos , Hispânico ou Latino/estatística & dados numéricos , Exposição Ocupacional/estatística & dados numéricos , Praguicidas/efeitos adversos , Praguicidas/urina , Migrantes/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , México , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Inquéritos e Questionários , Adulto JovemRESUMO
During 2014, cutaneous lesions were reported in dairy cattle and farmworkers in the Amazon Region of western Colombia. Samples from 6 patients were analyzed by serologic and PCR testing, and results demonstrated the presence of vaccinia virus and pseudocowpox virus. These findings highlight the need for increased poxvirus surveillance in Colombia.
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Infecções por Poxviridae/virologia , Vírus da Pseudovaríola das Vacas/isolamento & purificação , Vaccinia virus/isolamento & purificação , Vacínia/virologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Animais , Bovinos , Criança , Colômbia/epidemiologia , Fazendeiros , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Filogenia , Infecções por Poxviridae/epidemiologia , Vacínia/epidemiologia , Vaccinia virus/genética , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Farm work is labor-intensive, physically demanding, and incurs a high risk of injury. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of farmworkers at increased risk of adverse health outcomes to focus targeted interventions. METHODS: The National Agricultural Workers Survey for 2008-2012 was used to compare characteristics associated with adverse health and safety conditions among US-born and Mexican and Central American-born Latino and Indigenous, documented and undocumented farmworkers, separately for males and females. RESULTS: US-born farmworkers had more secure work, worked less onerous tasks, and earned more per hour than other categories of farmworkers. Undocumented Indigenous workers had more precarious work, worked more onerous tasks, and were more likely to do piece work, than undocumented Latino workers. DISCUSSION: We highlight disparities in modifiable occupational health risk factors across groups of farmworkers that are associated with increased risks of work-related injury and poor health. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:644-655, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Agricultura/estatística & dados numéricos , Fazendeiros/estatística & dados numéricos , Hispânico ou Latino/estatística & dados numéricos , Saúde Ocupacional/etnologia , Carga de Trabalho/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Agricultura/métodos , América Central/etnologia , Feminino , Disparidades nos Níveis de Saúde , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , México/etnologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Saúde Ocupacional/estatística & dados numéricos , Grupos Populacionais/estatística & dados numéricos , Fatores de Risco , Migrantes/estatística & dados numéricos , Imigrantes Indocumentados/estatística & dados numéricos , Estados Unidos/epidemiologia , Estados Unidos/etnologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Living conditions and health of migrant farmworkers could benefit from a health promotion model based on corporate social responsibility (CSR). OBJECTIVE: To understand how Mexican agribusiness owners and general managers view and practice CSR. METHODS: We interviewed 8 agribusiness owners/managers and 233 farmworkers using open-ended interviews and gathered anthropometrical data of 133 children from farmworkers families. To guide our analysis and discussion, we followed the two-dimension model of CSR proposed by Quazi and O'Brien. RESULTS: According to interviewee responses, mean percentage of agreement with CSR concept was 77.4%, with a range of 54-85.7%. Main health-related issues among farmworkers were infectious diseases, crowding, and access to health-care services; there were acute cases of undernutrition among farmworkers' children and diets were of poor quality. DISCUSSION: Agribusiness owners and managers understand and practice CSR according to a wide and modern view, which contradicts with farmworkers' living conditions and health. Quazi and O'Brien model should consider the social context, in which it is analyzed, and the social manifestations of community development as a tool for further analysis on the perceptions and actions of entrepreneurs.
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Farmworkers in the United States experience high rates of injury and illness but have limited access to conventional health care. Farmworkers are often from countries that have active traditional healers, so understanding the use of traditional healers among farmworkers is important. This pilot study (1) describes the use of traditional healers among farmworkers and (2) compares the use of traditional healers by farmworkers with other Latino immigrants. Interviews were conducted in 2015 with 100 Mexican farmworkers (80 men, 20 women) and 100 Mexican immigrant non-farmworkers (50 men, 50 women) in North Carolina. Most farmworkers (78%) had H-2A visas. More farmworkers (64%) than non-farmworkers (41%) had ever used traditional healers. Among farmworkers, 21% (vs. 11% of non-farmworkers) had used curanderos, 54% (vs. 32%) sobadores, 43% (vs. 21%) hueseros, 11% (vs. 13%) yerberos, and 4% (vs. 6%) espiritualistas. More farmworkers had used a traditional healer in the past year (16% vs. 8%), but fewer had used this healer in the United States (4% vs. 8%). Among all participants, males (58.5%) more than females (41.4%) (P = .0214), and returning to Mexico annually (64.1%) more than who do not (45.1%) (P = .0086) had ever used any traditional healer. This pilot study indicates the need for further research that documents the use of traditional healers by Latino farmworkers with diverse visa statuses, from countries in addition to Mexico, and in other regions in the United States. This research should also delineate the specific illnesses and injuries for which Latino farmworkers use traditional healers.