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Hyland C, Meierotto L, Som Castellano RL, Curl CL. Mixed-Methods Assessment of Farmworkers' Perceptions of Workplace Compliance with Worker Protection Standards and Implications for Risk Perceptions and Protective Behaviors. J Agromedicine 2024; 29:355-371. [PMID: 38284770 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2024.2307483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Worker Protection Standards is the primary set of legislation aimed at protecting farmworkers from occupational pesticide exposure in the United States. Previous studies suggest that worker adoption of Pesticide Protective Behaviors (PPBs) promoted by WPS is associated with lower urinary pesticide concentrations. However, adoption of PPBs is often outside of the control of individual farmworkers and dependent on workplace factors such as employer provisioning of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and access to trainings/resources. METHODS We conducted a mixed-method study including urinary pesticide biomonitoring, surveys, and interviews with 62 Latinx farmworkers in southwestern Idaho from April to July 2022. We integrated findings across the various data sources to identify emergent themes relating to farmworkers' perceptions of workplace compliance with WPS and potential implications for their pesticide risk perceptions, protective behaviors, and urinary pesticide concentrations. RESULTS Participants reported some indications of poor workplace compliance with WPS regulations, notably inconsistent access to clean handwashing stations and notification of pesticide applications. Some farmworkers, particularly pesticide applicators, viewed herbicides to be categorically safer than other classes of pesticides such as insecticides; these perceptions appeared to influence protective behaviors, such as the relatively low use of PPE while applying herbicides. These findings are underscored by the higher concentrations of biomarkers of herbicides, but not insecticides, among pesticide applicators compared with non-applicators (e.g. median 2,4-D concentrations = 1.40 µg/L among applicators and 0.69 µg/L among non-applicators). Participants further reported concerns regarding the inadequacy of pesticide safety training, pesticide drift, and the lack of communication regarding pesticide applications on and near fields where they are working. DISCUSSION Participants' perceptions that herbicides are categorically safer than other pesticide classes is in direct conflict with WPS training, raising concerns about discrepancies between WPS instruction and other on-the-job training, as well as the inadequate provisioning of PPE during the application of certain pesticides. Our findings also suggest that current WPS regulations may not sufficiently address farmworkers' concerns, particularly in regard to pesticide drift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly Hyland
- School of Public and Population Health, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, USA
- School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Meierotto
- School of Public Service, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Rebecca L Som Castellano
- Department of Sociology, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, USA
- Department of Human-Environment Systems, School of the Environment, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Cynthia L Curl
- School of Public and Population Health, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, USA
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Caxaj CS, Weiler AM, Martyniuk J. Housing Conditions and Health Implications for Migrant Agricultural Workers in Canada: A Scoping Review. Can J Nurs Res 2024; 56:16-28. [PMID: 37844611 PMCID: PMC10804689 DOI: 10.1177/08445621231203086] [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] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Migrant agricultural workers face various health inequities that have led to preventable illness and death. This paper investigates how material housing conditions have shaped physical and mental health outcomes for temporary foreign workers in Canadian agriculture. We conducted a scoping review of literature on migrant agricultural worker housing in Canada published between 2000-2022, analysing insights on the physical quality of workers' housing in relation to international frameworks on housing quality. Our review revealed a range of housing-related health risks, including: (1) Sanitation, food security, and water; (2) Thermal safety, electricity, and utilities; (3) Habitability of structure, air quality, and exposure to hazards; (4) Spacing, privacy, and co-worker relations and; (5) Geographic proximity to necessary services and social opportunities. Although housing has been increasingly recognized as a social determinant of health, little research examines how migrant farmworkers' accommodations shape their health outcomes, particularly in Canada. This scoping review provides timely insights and recommendations to inform research, policy, and public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Susana Caxaj
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Health Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anelyse M. Weiler
- Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., Canada
| | - Julia Martyniuk
- University of Toronto Libraries, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Caxaj CS, Shkopi E, Naranjo CT, Chew A, Hao YT, Nguyen M. Health, social and legal supports for migrant agricultural workers in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: a scoping review. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1182816. [PMID: 37869183 PMCID: PMC10588640 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1182816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction We carried out a scoping review to examine what previous literature can teach us about practices and possibilities for support services for migrant agricultural workers. Methods Following guidelines for scoping reviews as outlined by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and further refined by Levac et. al (2010) we conducted searches of several databases and two additional searches to capture regions of focus and more current literature. We used a thematic analysis to generate our themes. Results Our analysis yielded four key themes: (1) political, economic and legal factors; (2) living and working conditions; (3) facilitators/barriers to navigating services and supports and; (4) potential and existing strategies for social support for migrant agricultural workers. The first two themes pointed more to structural and material conditions that both posed barriers for this population to access supports, but also illustrated vulnerabilities that pointed to the need for a variety of services and protections. Under the third, we highlighted the ways that the design of services and supports, or their degree of accessibility, could shape the level of help available to this population. Lastly, potential and existing strategies for social support discussed in the literature included an emphasis on mental health and wellbeing, occupational health and safety training and documentation, and policy reforms to secure the status and address the precarity of this workforce. Discussion While research on social support and service provision for migrant agricultural workers is still in its infancy, a strength of this body of work is its attention to macro-level issues that advocate for strategies that address root factors that shape this group's health. Further research is required to expand our understanding of social support roles and possibilities across other domains and sectors for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Susana Caxaj
- Athur Labatt and Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Eriselda Shkopi
- Dipartimento di Filosofia e Beni Culturali, Università Ca’Foscari Venezia, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Post-Doctoral Fellow, Venice, Italy
| | - Carmen T. Naranjo
- Athur Labatt and Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alexa Chew
- Athur Labatt and Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Yi Ting Hao
- Athur Labatt and Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michelle Nguyen
- Athur Labatt and Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Zhou A, Osman A, Flores G, Srikrishnaraj D, Mohanty J, Al Bader R, Llancari A, El-Hashemi A, Elias M, Mirza K, Muldoon M, Palazzolo R, Zaib F, Woldie I, Hamm C. Critical Illness in Migrant Workers in the Windsor-Essex Region: A Descriptive Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6587. [PMID: 37623172 PMCID: PMC10454922 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20166587] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Despite their essential role in Canadian agriculture, migrant workers face numerous healthcare barriers. There is a knowledge gap regarding the healthcare experiences of migrant workers with critical illness in the Windsor-Essex region. Our objective was to collect information on the experiences of migrant workers experiencing a critical illness at Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) between 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2021. We conducted a retrospective chart review and interviews with migrant workers. We identified 14 migrant workers who presented to WRH with a critical illness over these 10 years. Despite occasional barriers regarding access to care, the migrant workers received an appropriate standard of care in Canada. Five of the fourteen patients identified were repatriated to their home countries. The migrant worker patients interviewed expressed satisfaction with the care they received in Canada but identified repatriation as a specific concern to receiving continuity of care. The health and financial burden imposed by critical illness on migrant workers and their employers makes critically ill workers vulnerable to medical repatriation as a unique social determinant of health. Considering the critical role of migrant workers in Canada's food security, policy changes should be considered to ensure critically ill workers are able to remain until recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Zhou
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Abdelhady Osman
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Genesis Flores
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (G.F.); (A.E.-H.); (R.P.); (I.W.)
| | - Dhuvaraha Srikrishnaraj
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Jayashree Mohanty
- School of Social Work, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9A 0C5, Canada;
| | - Retage Al Bader
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Amy Llancari
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada;
| | - Aya El-Hashemi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (G.F.); (A.E.-H.); (R.P.); (I.W.)
| | - Manahel Elias
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Kanza Mirza
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Maureen Muldoon
- Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada;
| | - Ryan Palazzolo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (G.F.); (A.E.-H.); (R.P.); (I.W.)
| | - Farwa Zaib
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Indryas Woldie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (G.F.); (A.E.-H.); (R.P.); (I.W.)
- Windsor Regional Hospital Cancer Program, Windsor, ON N8W 1L9, Canada
| | - Caroline Hamm
- Schulich School of Medicine, Dentistry Windsor Campus, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.O.); (D.S.); (R.A.B.); (M.E.); (K.M.); (F.Z.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (G.F.); (A.E.-H.); (R.P.); (I.W.)
- Windsor Regional Hospital Cancer Program, Windsor, ON N8W 1L9, Canada
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Basok T, Tucker EM, Vosko LF, Caxaj CS, Hennebry JL, Mayell S, McLaughlin J, Weiler AM. The ‘contract’ and its discontents: Can it address protection gaps for migrant agricultural workers in Canada? INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/imig.13121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Basok
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology University of Windsor Windsor Canada
| | | | - Leah F. Vosko
- Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies York University Toronto Canada
| | - C. Susana Caxaj
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing Western University London Canada
| | - Jenna L. Hennebry
- Balsillie School of International Affairs Wilfrid Laurier University Canada
| | | | - Janet McLaughlin
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences Wilfrid Laurier University Canada
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Molenaar J, Van Praag L. Migrants as 'vulnerable groups' in the COVID-19 pandemic: A critical discourse analysis of a taken-for-granted label in academic literature. SSM. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH 2022; 2:100076. [PMID: 35529889 PMCID: PMC9052635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affects different people unequally, and migrants are frequently among the groups considered particularly vulnerable. However, conceptualizations of 'vulnerability' are often ambiguous and poorly defined. Using critical discourse analysis methods, this article analyses the academic use of the term 'vulnerable' applied to migrants in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic across public health and social science disciplines. Our findings indicate that the concept of vulnerability is frequently applied to migrants in the COVID-19 context as a descriptor with seemingly taken-for-granted applicability. Migrants are considered vulnerable for a wide variety of reasons, most commonly relating to exposure to and risk of contracting COVID-19; poverty or low socio-economic status; precarity; access to healthcare; discrimination; and language barriers. Drivers of migrants' vulnerability were frequently construed as immutable societal characteristics. Additionally, our analysis revealed widespread generalization in the use of the notion of vulnerability, with limited consideration of the heterogeneity among and between diverse groups of migrants. Conceptualizations of migrants' vulnerability in the COVID-19 pandemic were sometimes used to advance seemingly contradictory policy implications or conclusions, and migrants' own views and lived experiences were often marginalized or excluded within these discourses. Our analysis highlights that although some definable groups of people are certainly more likely to suffer harm in crisis situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of 'vulnerable' as a fixed descriptor has potentially negative implications. As an alternative, we suggest thinking about vulnerability as the dynamic outcome of a process of 'vulnerabilisation' shaped by social order and power relations.
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Richardson L, Pettigrew RN. Migrant agricultural workers: a comparative analysis of both policy and COVID-19 response in Thailand, Italy, and Canada. SN SOCIAL SCIENCES 2022; 2:236. [PMID: 36313917 PMCID: PMC9589809 DOI: 10.1007/s43545-022-00548-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
International migrant workers play an increasingly important role in the global economy and labor markets. As of 2017, there were 164 million migrant workers around the world, representing 4.7% of all workers. Although found in a variety of sectors, both the Global North and South rely heavily on migrant agricultural workers to fulfill domestic labor shortages in the agricultural sector. This paper explores migrant agricultural worker policies and demand in Thailand, Italy, and Canada and compares the policy responses to COVID-19 and the subsequent treatment of migrant agricultural workers in these three countries. Using the documentary method, we first develop detailed cases of each country's migrant agricultural worker policies, demand, and response to COVID-19. Then a comparative analysis is conducted between Thailand, Italy, and Canada to identify emerging themes in policy, COVID responses, and migrant agricultural worker treatment. Despite the critical importance of migrant agricultural workers to each country to agricultural economies and food security, many workers still face policy challenges and mistreatment that were exacerbated by COVID-19. This work highlights the need for governments and policymakers to create new inclusive policies that guarantee improved labor, health, and safety standards and quality of living for all migrant agricultural workers, guaranteeing their basic human rights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Richardson
- University of Ottawa, Department of Public Affairs and International Affairs, Ottawa, ON Canada
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Caxaj S, Tran M, Mayell S, Tew M, McLaughlin J, Rawal S, Vosko LF, Cole D. Migrant agricultural workers' deaths in Ontario from January 2020 to June 2021: a qualitative descriptive study. Int J Equity Health 2022; 21:98. [PMID: 35842656 PMCID: PMC9287708 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-022-01692-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nine migrant agricultural workers died in Ontario, Canada, between January 2020 and June 2021. METHODS To better understand the factors that contributed to the deaths of these migrant agricultural workers, we used a modified qualitative descriptive approach. A research team of clinical and academic experts reviewed coroner files of the nine deceased workers and undertook an accompanying media scan. A minimum of two reviewers read each file using a standardized data extraction tool. RESULTS We identified four domains of risk, each of which encompassed various factors that likely exacerbated the risk of poor health outcomes: (1) recruitment and travel risks; (2) missed steps and substandard conditions of healthcare monitoring, quarantine, and isolation; (3) barriers to accessing healthcare; and (4) missing information and broader issues of concern. CONCLUSION Migrant agricultural workers have been disproportionately harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Greater attention to the unique needs of this population is required to avoid further preventable deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michelle Tew
- Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers, Hamilton, Canada
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Vosko LF, Basok T, Spring C, Candiz G, George G. Understanding Migrant Farmworkers' Health and Well-Being during the Global COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada: Toward a Transnational Conceptualization of Employment Strain. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:8574. [PMID: 35886429 PMCID: PMC9320012 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada imposed certain international travel bans and work-from-home orders, yet migrant farmworkers, declared essential to national food security, were exempt from such measures. In this context, farm worksites proved to be particularly prone to COVID-19 outbreaks. To apprehend this trend, we engaged an expanded and transnational employment strain framework that identified the employment demands and resources understood from a transnational perspective, as well as the immigration, labour, and public health policies and practices contributing to and/or buffering employment demands during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We applied mixed methods to analyze administrative data, immigration, labour, and public health policy, as well as qualitative interviews with thirty migrant farmworkers employed in Ontario and Quebec. We concluded that the deleterious outcomes of the pandemic for this group were rooted in the deplorable pre-pandemic conditions they endured. Consequently, the band-aid solutions adopted by federal and provincial governments to address these conditions before and during the pandemic were limited in their efficacy because they failed to account for the transnational employment strains among precarious status workers labouring on temporary employer-tied work permits. Such findings underscore the need for transformative policies to better support health equity among migrant farmworkers in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah F. Vosko
- Department of Politics, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Tanya Basok
- Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (T.B.); (G.G.)
| | - Cynthia Spring
- Department of Politics, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Guillermo Candiz
- Études de la Pluralité Humaine, Université de l’Ontario Français, 9 Lower Jarvis St., Toronto, ON M5E 0C3, Canada;
| | - Glynis George
- Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; (T.B.); (G.G.)
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Cohen A, Caxaj CS. A Lifeline in troubled waters: A support intervention for migrant farm workers. INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/imig.13027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Cohen
- Department of Anthropology Okanagan College Vernon British Columbia Canada
| | - C. Susana Caxaj
- Department of Nursing University of Western Ontario London Ontario Canada
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Poirier MJP, Barraza D, Caxaj CS, Martínez AM, Hard J, Montoya F. Informality, Social Citizenship, and Wellbeing among Migrant Workers in Costa Rica in the Context of COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:6224. [PMID: 35627759 PMCID: PMC9141649 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Costa Rica is home to 557,000 migrants, whose disproportionate exposure to precarious, dangerous, and informal work has resulted in persistent inequities in health and wellbeing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a novel multimodal grounded approach synthesizing documentary film, experiential education, and academic research to explore socioecological wellbeing among Nicaraguan migrant workers in Costa Rica. Participants pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as exacerbating the underlying conditions of vulnerability, such as precarity and informality, dangerous working conditions, social and systemic discrimination, and additional burdens faced by women. However, the narrative that emerged most consistently in shaping migrants' experience of marginalization were challenges in obtaining documentation-both in the form of legal residency and health insurance coverage. Our results demonstrate that, in spite of Costa Rica's acclaimed social welfare policies, migrant workers continue to face exclusion due to administrative, social, and financial barriers. These findings paint a rich picture of how multiple intersections of precarious, informal, and dangerous working conditions; social and systemic discrimination; gendered occupational challenges; and access to legal residency and health insurance coverage combine to prevent the full achievement of a shared minimum standard of social and economic security for migrant workers in Costa Rica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu J. P. Poirier
- School of Global Health, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
- Global Strategy Lab, Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Douglas Barraza
- Health Section, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 41101, Costa Rica;
- Coordinación de Docencia, Universidad Técnica Nacional, San Carlos 21001, Costa Rica
| | - C. Susana Caxaj
- School of Nursing, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada;
| | - Ana María Martínez
- York International & Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Julie Hard
- Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Felipe Montoya
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
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Low-Wage Agricultural Migrant Workers in Apulian Ghettos, Italy: General Health Conditions Assessment and HIV Screening. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6040184. [PMID: 34698299 PMCID: PMC8544678 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6040184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Approximately 500,000 migrants work in the agricultural sector in Italy. Many of them live in shantytowns, wrongly called “ghettos”, far away from city centers, with no water, proper hygienic conditions or health services. The aim of this study is to assess general health conditions and HIV prevalence by giving hygienic and sanitary sustenance. Methods: Between June 2019 and February 2020, we performed a screening campaign for HIV–diabetes–hypertension, involving migrants living in three Apulian establishments: ghetto Pista, “Sankara House” and “Arena House”. Results: Overall, 321 migrants were enrolled in the study. In the medical screening, one HIV test resulted positive. Hypertension was found in 12% of the migrants visited, diabetes in 2% and TB symptoms in 17%. Among others symptoms explored, muscle and joint pain/fatigue resulted in being the most frequent, and was reported by 34% of the migrants, followed by cough (10%). Significant predictors of muscle and joint pain/fatigue were: low BMI values (OR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.19–1.99), the absence of education (OR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.02–2.95), being employed with a regular contract (OR = 2.64; 95% CI 2.39–2.83) and living in the ghettos since >12 months (OR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.24–2.21). Conclusions: Our experience suggests that, in this population, the health condition is mainly linked to the specific working activities in the agricultural fields, as well as to the hygienic and living conditions, and that all of this is due to the lack of social protection in their life and job.
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Colindres C, Cohen A, Caxaj CS. Correction: Colindres et al. Migrant Agricultural Workers' Health, Safety and Access to Protections: A Descriptive Survey Identifying Structural Gaps and Vulnerabilities in the Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 3696. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph181910204. [PMID: 34639861 PMCID: PMC8508103 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the original article [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Colindres
- Emergency and Public Health Consultant, Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2, Canada;
| | - Amy Cohen
- Department of Anthropology, Okanagan College, Vernon, BC V1B 2N5, Canada;
| | - C. Susana Caxaj
- School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
- Correspondence:
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