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Bakal M, Ambriz E, Ortiz-Pivaral L, Kogut K, Rood CS, Rauch S, Eskenazi B, Deardorff J. Impacts of COVID-19 shelter in place across key life domains among immigrant farmworker Latina mothers and young adults. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:2036. [PMID: 39080610 PMCID: PMC11287914 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19438-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Individuals and families from racial and ethnic groups experience social and economic disadvantage making them vulnerable to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to capture the impacts of Shelter in Place (SIP) across key life domains including family life, education, work, mental health, and coping strategies among a sample of Mexican-origin mothers who were currently engaged in agricultural work, or whose spouses were engaged in agricultural work, and young adults who had a parent working in agriculture. METHOD During the summer of 2020, while California was under SIP orders, we conducted three virtual focus groups using Zoom(r). We recruited focus group participants from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), an ongoing, 20-year, longitudinal cohort study of Mexican-origin families in a predominantly agricultural area of California. Three focus groups were conducted with mothers (n = 9), mean age = 48 years, young adult women (n = 8) and young adult men (n = 5), mean age = 18 years, respectively. RESULTS Mothers reported high levels of stress stemming from fear of Covid-19 infection, work instability and financial concerns, children's schooling, anxiety about an uncertain future, and the demands of caretaking for dependents. Adverse mental health impacts were particularly pronounced among participants experiencing multiple adversities pre-dating the pandemic, including unemployment, single motherhood, and having undocumented family members. For young adults, work instability and varying work hours were also a source of stress because they made it difficult to make decisions about the future, such as whether to attend college or how many classes to take. Families used coping strategies including expressing gratitude, focusing on what's under one's control, familismo, and community engagement to manage mental health challenges during SIP. CONCLUSION In the event of future pandemics or disasters, particular attention is needed to those who experience unemployment, are undocumented and/or have undocumented family members, and/or are single parents facing economic adversity. During public health emergencies, action at the local, state, and national level is needed to support farmworkers and other vulnerable groups' secondary major stressors stemming from inequities in access to affordable housing, childcare, living wages, healthcare, and other benefits.
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Grants
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- R00RG2483) Office of the President, University of California
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- P2CHD07396 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- R24 ES028529, 2U24ES028529-06 NIEHS NIH HHS
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bakal
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Ambriz
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America.
| | - Lizbeth Ortiz-Pivaral
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Katherine Kogut
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Claire Snell Rood
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Stephen Rauch
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Julianna Deardorff
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
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Cofie LE, LePrevost CE, Harwell EL, Bustos YY, Welborn J, Firnhaber GC, Lee JGL. "Valorar el trabajo de farmworkers": A thematic analysis of input from farmworkers, advocates, and students in a community documentary project about the future of farm work. Public Health Nurs 2024; 41:193-197. [PMID: 37994294 PMCID: PMC11288523 DOI: 10.1111/phn.13263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Farm work is one of the nation's most hazardous occupations, and migrant and seasonal farmworkers face significant health inequities. Awareness and understanding of the needs of this population are crucial in assuring they receive appropriate support. Documentary programs can raise awareness of community member views to better inform services and advocacy efforts. Visions for the future of farm work were collected from farmworkers and persons supporting them through a community-based, participatory documentary project led by Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) from 2021 to 2022. Seventy-nine submissions from participants in North and South Carolina, including text responses and file uploads, were collected and thematically analyzed. Five themes were identified: (1) employment benefits and conditions, (2) living conditions, (3) health access and quality, (4) dignity and visibility of farm work, and (5) policy change for a better future. The visions for the future of farm work expressed by these agricultural workers, advocates, and students raise important implications for agricultural communities, public health practitioners, researchers, funders, and policymakers. Application of these findings in the development and delivery of public health services for farmworkers has the potential to positively impact the morbidity and mortality rates of this at-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie E. Cofie
- Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Emery L. Harwell
- Department of Applied Ecology, NC State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Joanna Welborn
- Student Action with Farmworkers, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gina C. Firnhaber
- College of Nursing, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joseph G. L. Lee
- Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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Mora AM, Kogut K, Sandhu NK, Ridgway D, Patty CM, Renteria M, Morga N, Rodriguez MT, Romero M, Valdovinos JM, Torres-Nguyen A, Guzman O, Martinez M, Doty RL, Padilla A, Flores E, Brown PM, Eskenazi B. SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID among California farmworkers. J Rural Health 2024; 40:292-302. [PMID: 37715721 DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of long COVID and identify its clinical manifestations among farmworkers in California. METHODS We collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometrics, clinical chemistries and anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G antibodies, self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection history, and standardized health tests and scales from 297 farmworkers in California between February and July 2022. RESULTS Most participants were born in Mexico or Central America, had less than a high school diploma, and were overweight or obese. The prevalence of long COVID (defined as self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection with symptoms >28 days) among farmworkers with a suspected or test-confirmed infection was 61.8%. Participants with long COVID had higher mean [95% CI] body mass index (32.9 [31.6-34.1]) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (4.8 [3.7, 6.0]) than those with no COVID-19 history (30.5 [29.3-31.7], and 3.3 [2.2, 4.3], respectively). Farmworkers with long COVID also reported greater fatigue, dyspnea, taste and smell problems, and overall poorer mental and physical health, than those with no COVID-19 history. Farmworkers with long COVID had increased odds of functional limitations compared to those with a self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection with symptoms ≤28 days (OR [95% CI]: 7.46 [3.26, 17.09]). CONCLUSIONS A significant proportion of farmworkers experience long COVID with persistent symptoms that limit their ability to perform their work. A comprehensive approach that addresses the unique needs and challenges of farmworkers is warranted given this population's high prevalence of long COVID and the essential nature of their work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Katherine Kogut
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Nimrat K Sandhu
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, California, USA
| | - Derry Ridgway
- Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, California, USA
| | - Chris M Patty
- Kaweah Health Medical Center, Visalia, California, USA
| | - Melissa Renteria
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, California, USA
| | - Norma Morga
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Maria T Rodriguez
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Monica Romero
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jose M Valdovinos
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Omar Guzman
- Kaweah Health Medical Center, Visalia, California, USA
| | | | - Richard L Doty
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ana Padilla
- Community and Labor Center, University of California, Merced, California, USA
| | - Edward Flores
- Community and Labor Center, University of California, Merced, California, USA
| | - Paul M Brown
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, California, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
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Perez-Lua FM, Chan-Golston AM, Burke NJ, Young MEDT. The Influence of Organizational Aspects of the U.S. Agricultural Industry and Socioeconomic and Political Conditions on Farmworkers' COVID-19 Workplace Safety. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:7138. [PMID: 38063568 PMCID: PMC10706775 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Farmworkers in the U.S. experienced high rates of COVID-19 infection and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their workplace may have been a significant place of exposure to the novel coronavirus. Using political economy of health theory, this study sought to understand how organizational aspects of the agricultural industry and broader socioeconomic and political conditions shaped farmworkers' COVID-19 workplace safety during the pandemic. Between July 2020 and April 2021, we conducted and analyzed fourteen in-depth, semi-structured phone interviews with Latinx farmworkers in California. Findings show that regulatory oversight reinforced COVID-19 workplace safety. In the absence of regulatory oversight, the organization of the agricultural industry produced COVID-19 workplace risks for farmworkers; it normalized unsafe working conditions and the worker-rather than employer-responsibility for workplace safety. Under these conditions, farmworkers enacted personal COVID-19 preventative practices but were limited by financial hardships that were exacerbated by the precarious nature of agricultural employment and legal status exclusions from pandemic-related aid. Unsafe workplace conditions negatively impacted workplace camaraderie. Study findings have implications for farmworkers' individual and collective agency to achieve safe working conditions. Occupational safety interventions must address the organizational aspects that produce workplace health and safety inequities and disempower farmworkers in the workplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola M. Perez-Lua
- Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, University of California, Merced, 5200 N Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343, USA; (A.M.C.-G.); (N.J.B.)
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Pagán-Santana M, Liebman AK, Seda CH. Deepening the Divide: Health Inequities and Climate Change among Farmworkers. J Agromedicine 2023; 28:57-60. [PMID: 36384449 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2022.2148034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
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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Perez A, Johnson JK, Marquez DX, Keiser S, Martinez P, Guerrero J, Tran T, Portacolone E. Factors related to COVID-19 vaccine intention in Latino communities. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272627. [PMID: 36378633 PMCID: PMC9665385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among Latino communities, with an emphasis on understanding barriers and facilitators to vaccine intention prior to the development of the vaccine. METHODS Qualitative data were collected between April and June 2020 from 3 focus groups with Latino adults (n = 21) and interviews with administrators of community-based organizations serving Latino communities (n = 12) in urban (Los Angeles) and rural (Fresno) California, supplemented by Community Advisory Board input in May 2021to elucidate the findings. Data were analyzed with deductive content analysis. RESULTS We have identified four main themes that are barriers to vaccinating against COVID-19: 1) concerns about accessing appropriate healthcare services, 2) financial issues and 3) immigration matters, as well as 4) misinformation. CONCLUSIONS Findings illustrate the pervasive role of addressable social determinants of health in the intention of rural and urban Latino communities in being vaccinated, which is a pressing public health issue. Policy implications: Findings provide evidence for a systemic shift to prioritize equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines to Latino communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Perez
- Leonard David Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Julene K. Johnson
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - David X. Marquez
- College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Sahru Keiser
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Paula Martinez
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Javier Guerrero
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Thi Tran
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Elena Portacolone
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Philip Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Quandt A, Keeney AJ, Flores L, Flores D, Villaseñor M. " We left the crop there lying in the field": Agricultural worker experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural US-Mexico border region. JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES 2022; 95:533-543. [PMID: 36246736 PMCID: PMC9554333 DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
California agricultural workers are predominately Latino/a, are medically underserved, and reside in larger households, placing them at elevated COVID-19 risk at work and at home. While some research has examined COVID-19 among agricultural workers in the interior of the United States, little research exists on experiences of COVID-19 along the US-Mexico border. Grounded in resilience thinking, this study aims to understand how agricultural workers navigated their heightened risk to COVID-19 at work and at home, and made use of available resources in the context of a bi-national community. Our study utilized qualitative interviews with 12 agricultural workers to understanding the COVID-19 experiences of resident and daily migrant agricultural workers in Imperial County, California, located along the US-Mexico border. Findings suggest that agricultural workers faced significant impacts and risks at work (work stoppages, stress about bringing COVID-19 home to family) and at home (contracting COVID-19, loss of friends and family, and mental health challenges). Agricultural workers and their employers often implemented COVID-19 precautions such as social distancing measures, personal protective equipment, hand washing and hand sanitizers, and isolation. Many agricultural workers did access testing resources on either side of the US-Mexico border and worked with US-based Spanish-speaking community-based organizations to register for vaccine appointments. To better support agricultural workers and their employers in the future, we recommend the following: 1. Prioritize agricultural workplace conditions to increase agricultural worker physical and mental health, 2. Extend public health services into agricultural work sites of transit and the workplace, and 3. Lastly, trusted Spanish-speaking community-based organizations can play a critical role in public health outreach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Quandt
- Department of Geography, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-4119, USA
| | - Annie J Keeney
- School of Social Work, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-4119, USA
| | - Luis Flores
- Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition, Calexico, CA, USA
| | - Daniela Flores
- Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition, Calexico, CA, USA
| | - Mercy Villaseñor
- School of Social Work, San Diego State University - Imperial Valley Campus, 720 Heber Ave, Calexico, CA, 92231, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Keifer
- Professor Emeritus Public Health and Medicine, University of Washington/VAPuget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
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