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Iglesias-Rios L, Kort A, Handal AJ. Precarious Work and Housing for Michigan Farmworkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond. J Agromedicine 2024:1-19. [PMID: 38651537 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2024.2341803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Farmworkers in Michigan face precarious and exploitative labor conditions that affect their access to affordable, fair, and quality housing, which are key social determinants of health. We sought to assess the health, working conditions, and housing access, affordability, and quality of farmworkers living in and outside of employer-provided housing during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We conducted a mixed methods cross-sectional study in collaboration with community partners from the Michigan Farmworker Project and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. We assessed housing, labor conditions, and general health through in-depth phone interviews with seasonal, migrant, and H-2A farmworkers (n = 63) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) in Michigan. Descriptive analyses of these data included comparisons by type of farmworker and type of housing (employer-provided or other). RESULTS The majority of farmworkers interviewed were women and seasonal farmworkers and spoke primarily Spanish. A significant share of farmworker participants reported living in poverty (38.3%) and had low or very low food security (27.0%). Nearly half of farmworkers (47.6%) rated their health as "fair" or "poor" during the year prior to the interview, and more than a third reported 3 or more chronic conditions (39.6%) and lack of health insurance coverage (38.7%). Among the 43 workers tested, 25.6% reported testing positive for COVID-19. Farmworkers reported experiences of objectification and dehumanization. Three-quarters of workers reported feeling that they were treated as less than human by supervisors and one-third reported verbal abuse. Farmworkers also experienced challenges exacerbated by their social vulnerability that impeded them from finding affordable, quality housing. Regarding housing quality, the majority of workers (80.6%) reported one or more environmental hazards around their residence, and about a third reported not having air conditioning (33.%) and lacking a functioning washing machine (33.9%). Concerns about the quality of drinking water accessible to workers and exposure to chemicals were shared by participants. CONCLUSION This study adds valuable knowledge to the understanding of the systemic barriers to housing and work conditions for female and male seasonal, migrant, and H-2A farmworkers in Michigan. Shortcomings in the regulatory and policy environment result in precarious housing and work conditions, including exploitative labor practices. These conditions negate equality, fairness, and health equity, important tenants for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisbeth Iglesias-Rios
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alexa Kort
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alexis J Handal
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Reyes Rocha FA, Sexsmith K. Workplace Sexual Harassment in Waged Agricultural Employment: A Literature Review. J Agromedicine 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38643490 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2024.2338857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Workplace sexual harassment (WSH) is a systemic problem in agricultural employment. In the United States, where most research on the topic has been conducted, studies have suggested the rate of WSH against women farmworkers may be as high as 95%. Women who are immigrants, younger, have precarious immigration status, and come from indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable to WSH. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the factors that contribute to such high rates of WSH in waged employment in the agricultural sector. To achieve this, we completed a systematic review of the empirical literature on sexual harassment in agricultural workplaces. Our review includes 29 empirical studies on WSH in agriculture, including 13 studies conducted in countries within the Global North and 16 from the Global South. The paper presents a typology of WSH in agriculture, categorizing its emotional and physical forms and describing what the literature reveals about its impacts on those who experience it. We then present our analysis of the structural and cultural factors contributing to high WSH rates in waged agricultural employment. We found that migration policies, the organizational and physical characteristics of agricultural work, the informality of employment relationships, traditional masculinity norms, and weak enforcement of workplace regulations were the principal factors facilitating high rates of WSH in agriculture. However, the study has limitations: it primarily focuses on literature in English and Spanish, risking geographical bias towards the Americas and potentially overlooking significant research in other languages or published in less accessible databases, including grey literature and regional reports. These limitations highlight the need for broader research to fill these empirical gaps, particularly from the Global South.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Alfredo Reyes Rocha
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Kathleen Sexsmith
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
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Abasilim C, Friedman LS, Martin MC, Madigan D, Perez J, Morera M, Tovar A, Roka F, Xiuhtecutli N, Forst L, Monaghan P. Risk factors associated with indicators of dehydration among migrant farmworkers. Environ Res 2024; 251:118633. [PMID: 38462085 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Farmworkers are at increased risk of adverse health outcomes related to occupational heat exposure and inadequate access to water, shade, or rest breaks. Presently, there is a dearth of studies examining the prevalence of dehydration and related factors in U.S. farmworkers. Our objectives were to characterize hydration status during typical workdays and to identify risk factors associated with increased dehydration in migrant farmworkers employed in Florida. METHODS Urine samples were collected and analyzed for urine specific gravity (USG) 2-3 times per person per day over five days in May 2021 and 2022. Data collection included demographic characteristics, wet-bulb-globe-temperature (WBGT), and information on working conditions (task type, duration, and crop units harvested), fluid intake, clothing worn, and heat safety behaviors. Multivariable mixed regression models were used to evaluate risk factors associated with change in USG levels (continuous) during a work shift. RESULTS A total of 111 farmworkers participated in this study providing 1020 cumulative USG measurements, of which 96.8% of end-of-shift USG samples were above 1.020 indicating potential dehydration. In multivariable models, dehydration assessed using change in USG levels significantly declined with age (β = -0.078; 95%CI: 0.150, -0.006) but showed significant increase with body mass index (β = 0.016; 95%CI: 0.003, 0.028), WGBT (β = 0.054; 95%CI:0.044, 0.064), mean shift duration, and state of primary residence. We did not find significant associations of dehydration with type of clothing worn, intake of employer-provided water, or crop units harvested during a shift in this sample of farmworkers. CONCLUSION Our findings underscore the need for additional research to evaluate adverse outcomes related to dehydration and to better understand recovery patterns from chronic dehydration across workweeks and harvest seasons in migrant farmworkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chibuzor Abasilim
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lee S Friedman
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Miranda Carver Martin
- Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Dana Madigan
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Jose Perez
- Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Maria Morera
- Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Fritz Roka
- Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers, FL, USA
| | | | - Linda Forst
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Paul Monaghan
- Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Frengidou E, Galanis P, Malesios C. Pesticide Exposure or Pesticide Poisoning and the Risk of Depression in Agricultural Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Agromedicine 2024; 29:91-105. [PMID: 37937800 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2023.2278801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that farm workers represent a high-risk population for the development of depression. The aim of the study was to clarify the association between pesticide exposure/poisoning and depression. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis were conducted in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Relevant studies were included through searching in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, CINAHL and pre-print services databases. A total of eight studies were included. A positive but non-significant association was observed between pesticide use and depression (OR = 1.123; 95% CI, 0.932-1.354, p-value = .221) while a significant positive association was observed between pesticide poisoning and depression (OR = 2.942; 95% CI, 1.791-4.831, p-value < .001). The present meta-analysis suggested clearly a significant positive association between pesticide poisoning and depression, confirming the hypothesis that pesticide poisoning is a risk factor of depression. It also revealed positive, yet non-significant association, between pesticide exposure and depression, a finding that enhances recent research but requires to be further supported by future cohort studies, including socioeconomic factors and biomarkers of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisavet Frengidou
- Public Organization for Providing Health Care Services, Regional Department of North and East Greece, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Petros Galanis
- Faculty of Nursing, Center for Health Services Management and Evaluation, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Tsai J, Rodriguez A, Solis V. A Small Randomized Controlled Trial of Three Remote Methods to Collect Mental Health Data from Migrant Farmworker Adults. J Immigr Minor Health 2023; 25:1025-1032. [PMID: 36710300 PMCID: PMC9885063 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-023-01452-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
There has been limited longitudinal study of the health of migrant farmworkers due to their migratory lifestyles and there are opportunities to test new remote data collection methods in this subpopulation. A small randomized controlled trial was conducted with 75 migrant farmworker families who were randomly assigned to one of three groups that participated by (1) telephone interview, (2) online survey, or (3) mobile app between June 2021-April 2022. Of 50 farmworker adults who completed the baseline survey, there was differential attrition with 21% of the telephone interview group, 18% of the online survey group, and 3.2% of the online app group completing the 2-month follow-up. Over this period, migrant farmworkers reported relatively few mental health problems but notable alcohol use problems. Online apps were less effective than traditional methods for remote data collection. Alcohol use problems among migrant farmworkers in the U.S. may be an issue that deserves further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Tsai
- School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
- National Center On Homelessness Among Veterans, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- , 7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1100, San Antonio, TX, 78240, USA.
| | - Anabel Rodriguez
- School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Victoria Solis
- School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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Forté CA, Millar JA, Colacino JA. Integrating NHANES and toxicity forecaster data to compare pesticide exposure and bioactivity by farmwork history and US citizenship. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2023:10.1038/s41370-023-00583-5. [PMID: 37474644 PMCID: PMC10799167 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00583-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Farmworkers in the United States, especially migrant workers, face unique barriers to healthcare and have documented disparities in health outcomes. Exposure to pesticides, especially those persistent in the environment, may contribute to these health disparities. OBJECTIVE Quantify differences in pesticide exposure bioactivity by farmworker category and US citizenship status. METHODS We queried the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) from 1999-2014 for pesticide exposure biomarker concentrations among farmworkers and non-farmworkers by citizenship status. We combined this with toxicity assay data from the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast). We estimated adverse biological effects that occur across a range of human population-relevant pesticide doses. RESULTS In total, there were 844 people with any farmwork history and 23,592 non-farmworkers. Of 12 commonly detectable pesticide biomarkers in NHANES, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (OR = 3.76, p = 1.33 × 10-6) was significantly higher in farmworkers than non-farmworkers. Farmworkers were 1.15 times more likely to have a bioactive pesticide biomarker measurement in comparison to non-farmworkers (adjusted OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.51). Non-U.S. citizens were 1.39 times more likely to have bioactive pesticide biomarker concentrations compared to people with U.S. citizenship (adjusted OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.64). Additionally, non-citizens were significantly more exposed to bioactive levels of β-hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) (OR = 8.10, p = 1.33 × 10-6), p,p-DDE (OR = 2.60, p = 0.02), and p,p'-DDT (OR = 7.75, p = 0.01). IMPACT STATEMENT Farmworkers are a vulnerable population due to social determinants of health and occupational exposures. Here, we integrate US population chemical biomonitoring data and toxicity outcome data to assess pesticide exposure by farmwork history and citizenship. We find that farmworkers and those without US citizenship are significantly more likely to be exposed to concentrations of pesticides which are bioactive in toxicological assays. Thus, farmworkers employed in the US but who are not citizens could be at increased risk of harm to their health due to pesticides. These findings are important to shape evidence-based policies in regulatory science to promote worker safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanese A Forté
- The University of Michigan School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- The University of Michigan, College of Engineering, Michigan Institute of Computational Discovery and Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jess A Millar
- The University of Michigan School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- The University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Justin A Colacino
- The University of Michigan School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- The University of Michigan School of Public Health, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- The University of Michigan College of Literature, Sciences, and the Arts, Program in the Environment, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Rehman S, Shehzad A, Andriyani LD, Effendi MH, Abadeen ZU, Ilyas Khan M, Bilal M. A cross-sectional survey of avian influenza knowledge among poultry farmworkers in Indonesia. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14600. [PMID: 36684680 PMCID: PMC9851045 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Avian influenza (AI) poses a serious threat to global public health, especially the highly pathogenic form. Awareness and protective behavior among the public, particularly the high-risk populations, are essential for prevention and control. This study aimed to ascertain the level of AI knowledge among Indonesia's poultry farmworkers. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted online. A predesigned standardized questionnaire, containing six demographic questions and 14 questions on AI knowledge, was used. The questionnaire was distributed via WhatsApp and email platforms. Volunteers (respondents) included 119 men and 81 women, aged 18-50 years, who work on poultry farms in Indonesia. Data were analyzed using the chi-squared and Fisher exact tests. Results The study's findings revealed that more than two-thirds (67.0%) of the respondents had heard about AI. Their primary sources of information were health workers (36.0%) and media, especially television (34.0%). The majority of the participants (91.3%) had good knowledge about AI as a contagious infection, transmissible from birds to other birds, animals, or humans. A total of 76.8% of the respondents believed that poultry workers and veterinarians were at high risk of contracting AI infection. Conclusions The study concluded that poultry workers had good knowledge about AI infection, transmission, and risk variables. Health workers and television were the main sources of information on AI. The level of AI knowledge was high among the respondents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saifur Rehman
- Laboratory of Virology and Immunology Division of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia,Division of Veterinary Public Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
| | - Aamir Shehzad
- Laboratory of Virology and Immunology Division of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
| | | | - Mustofa Helmi Effendi
- Division of Veterinary Public Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
| | - Zain Ul Abadeen
- Department of Pathology Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ilyas Khan
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Bilal
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan,Current affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Nicholson E. The Threat and Opportunity of Digital Technology in Agriculture. J Agromedicine 2023; 28:42-44. [PMID: 36398797 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2022.2141409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Investment in ag tech startups has increased 370% since 2013. Many of these new companies market their technology to reduce or eliminate farm work altogether. But at what cost? Workers will lose their livelihoods. Farmers in the Pacific Northwest are struggling to find the capital needed to replant orchards to accommodate this new technology, resulting in changes to farm ownership. Rural economies who depend on the revenue agriculture generates stand directly in harm's way as wages are eliminated along with jobs. Technology also generates data, what has been called the "new gold". Current trends suggest that workers, growers and rural communities will not share in this newly created wealth. Technology contains the biases of those who design it and when deployed can result in both discriminatory practices and making workplaces more dangerous for those workers who remain. Rather than eliminating and diminishing agricultural work, technology should be designed to improve the quality of work and build the economic resilience of rural communities.
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Mora AM, Baker JM, Hyland C, Rodríguez-Zamora MG, Rojas-Valverde D, Winkler MS, Staudacher P, Palzes VA, Gutiérrez-Vargas R, Lindh C, Reiss AL, Eskenazi B, Fuhrimann S, Sagiv SK. Pesticide exposure and cortical brain activation among farmworkers in Costa Rica. Neurotoxicology 2022; 93:200-210. [PMID: 36228750 PMCID: PMC10014323 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
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 (β = -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 (β = -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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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Joseph M Baker
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Carly Hyland
- School of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, 1910 W University Dr, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - María G Rodríguez-Zamora
- Escuela de Ingeniería en Seguridad Laboral e Higiene Ambiental (EISLHA), Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Calle 15, Avenida 14, 1 km Sur de la Basílica de los Ángeles, Cartago 30101, Provincia de Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Daniel Rojas-Valverde
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Escuela Ciencias del Movimiento Humano y Calidad de Vida, Campus Benjamin Nuñez, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 86-3000, Costa Rica
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 55, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Peterspl. 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa A Palzes
- Drug and Alcohol Research Team at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California's Division of Research, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Randall Gutiérrez-Vargas
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Escuela Ciencias del Movimiento Humano y Calidad de Vida, Campus Benjamin Nuñez, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 86-3000, Costa Rica
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Scheelevägen 2, 22363 Lund, Sweden
| | - Allan L Reiss
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 55, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Peterspl. 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Matias SL, Riden HE, Lee DS, Bang H, Schenker MB. Effectiveness of a worksite lifestyle intervention to reduce body mass index among farmworkers in California: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Public Health Nutr 2022;:1-24. [PMID: 35620920 DOI: 10.1017/S136898002200129X] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of PASOS SALUDABLES, a culturally tailored lifestyle intervention to prevent obesity and diabetes among Latino farmworkers, when implemented at large scale in the worksite. DESIGN This study was a two-arm parallel group, cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), where participants received either a 12-session lifestyle intervention (intervention) or 6-session leadership training (control) at their worksite. The intervention was delivered by Promotoras in Spanish. All sessions were conducted at the worksites (ranches) during meal breaks. Blinded, trained research assistants collected sociodemographic and outcome data (i.e., body mass index [BMI] as primary outcome, and waist circumference, glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], cholesterol and blood pressure, as secondary outcomes) at baseline and follow-up assessments (i.e., 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 1.5 years). SETTING Recruitment and intervention delivery occurred at 12 study ranches in Oxnard, California. PARTICIPANTS We enrolled farmworkers hired by a large berry grower company, who were ≥18 years old, spoke Spanish and were free of diabetes at screening. RESULTS A total of 344 workers were enrolled in the intervention and 271 in the control group. The intervention resulted in attenuated increase of BMI over time; however, the difference in trend between groups was not significant (beta=-0.01 for slope difference, p=0.29). No significantly different trend by group was observed in secondary outcomes (p>0.27). CONCLUSIONS The worksite intervention, implemented during meal breaks, did not reduce BMI or other clinical indicators. Nevertheless, this study supports the feasibility of recruiting and engaging the Latino farmworker population in workplace health promotion interventions.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the number of farmers in Korea is declining, the proportion of older farmers aged ≥60 increases. OBJECTIVE This study aims to analyze gender differences in working conditions, exposure to risk factors, and health problems of older crop farmers aged ≥60. METHODS This study used data from the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) data of 818 male and 985 female crop farmers aged ≥60 years. RESULTS This study showed that older female farmers had higher ratios of living alone (45.0% vs. 13.4%, p < 0.001), lower education levels (80.7% vs. 53.4%, p < 0.001), and lower average incomes (1.565 vs. 2.036 million KRW, p < 0.001) than that of males. Among subjective scores on the exposure of risk factors, only females' repetitive motion (4.923) and awkward posture (4.415) scores were higher than that of males' repetitive motion (4.601) (p < 0.001) and awkward posture (4.159) scores (p = 0.001). However, female's health problem rates on upper limb pain (68.3%), lower extremity pain (67.6%), backache (48.4%), overall fatigue (44.8%), and headache and eyestrain (25.0%) were higher than that of male's complaint rates on upper limb pain (48.5%) (p < 0.001), lower extremity pain (53.3%) (p < 0.001), backache (35.0%) (p < 0.001), overall fatigue (39.5%) (p = 0.024), and headache and eyestrain (19.4%) (p = 0.005). The rate of depression symptoms in females (54.6%), with a high proportion of single-person households, was higher than that of males (46.9%) (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The musculoskeletal pains and depression symptoms of older female farmers are prevalent, and efforts and support are required to improve working conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung Yong Jeong
- Department of Industrial and Management Engineering, Hansung University, Seoul, Republic of Korea E-mail: ; ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6837-1324
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12
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Donley N, Bullard RD, Economos J, Figueroa I, Lee J, Liebman AK, Martinez DN, Shafiei F. Pesticides and environmental injustice in the USA: root causes, current regulatory reinforcement and a path forward. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:708. [PMID: 35436924 PMCID: PMC9017009 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13057-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many environmental pollutants are known to have disproportionate effects on Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) as well as communities of low-income and wealth. The reasons for these disproportionate effects are complex and involve hundreds of years of systematic oppression kept in place through structural racism and classism in the USA. Here we analyze the available literature and existing datasets to determine the extent to which disparities in exposure and harm exist for one of the most widespread pollutants in the world – pesticides. Our objective was to identify and discuss not only the historical injustices that have led to these disparities, but also the current laws, policies and regulatory practices that perpetuate them to this day with the ultimate goal of proposing achievable solutions. Disparities in exposures and harms from pesticides are widespread, impacting BIPOC and low-income communities in both rural and urban settings and occurring throughout the entire lifecycle of the pesticide from production to end-use. These disparities are being perpetuated by current laws and regulations through 1) a pesticide safety double standard, 2) inadequate worker protections, and 3) export of dangerous pesticides to developing countries. Racial, ethnic and income disparities are also maintained through policies and regulatory practices that 4) fail to implement environmental justice Executive Orders, 5) fail to account for unintended pesticide use or provide adequate training and support, 6) fail to effectively monitor and follow-up with vulnerable communities post-approval, and 7) fail to implement essential protections for children. Here we’ve identified federal laws, regulations, policies, and practices that allow for disparities in pesticide exposure and harm to remain entrenched in everyday life for environmental justice communities. This is not simply a pesticides issue, but a broader public health and civil rights issue. The true fix is to shift the USA to a more just system based on the Precautionary Principle to prevent harmful pollution exposure to everyone, regardless of skin tone or income. However, there are actions that can be taken within our existing framework in the short term to make our unjust regulatory system work better for everyone.
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13
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Bahrami M, Simpson SL, Burdette JH, Lyday RG, Quandt SA, Chen H, Arcury TA, Laurienti PJ. Altered Default Mode Network Associated with Pesticide Exposure in Latinx Children from Rural Farmworker Families. Neuroimage 2022; 256:119179. [PMID: 35429626 PMCID: PMC9251855 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Pesticide exposure has been associated with adverse cognitive and neurological effects. However, neuroimaging studies aimed at examining the impacts of pesticide exposure on brain networks underlying abnormal neurodevelopment in children remain limited. It has been demonstrated that pesticide exposure in children is associated with disrupted brain anatomy in regions that make up the default mode network (DMN), a subnetwork engaged across a diverse set of cognitive processes, particularly higher-order cognitive tasks. This study tested the hypothesis that functional brain network connectivity/topology in Latinx children from rural farmworker families (FW children) would differ from urban Latinx children from non-farmworker families (NFW children). We also tested the hypothesis that probable historic childhood exposure to pesticides among FW children would be associated with network connectivity/topology in a manner that parallels differences between FW and NFW children. We used brain networks from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 78 children and a mixed-effects regression framework to test our hypotheses. We found that network topology was differently associated with the connection probability between FW and NFW children in the DMN. Our results also indicated that, among 48 FW children, historic reports of exposure to pesticides from prenatal to 96 months old were significantly associated with DMN topology, as hypothesized. Although the cause of the differences in brain networks between FW and NFW children cannot be determined using a cross-sectional study design, the observed associations between network connectivity/topology and historic exposure reports in FW children provide compelling evidence for a contribution of pesticide exposure on altering the DMN network organization in this vulnerable population. Although longitudinal follow-up of the children is necessary to further elucidate the cause and reveal the ultimate neurological implications, these findings raise serious concerns about the potential adverse health consequences from developmental neurotoxicity associated with pesticide exposure in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Bahrami
- Laboratory for Complex Brain Networks, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Sean L Simpson
- Laboratory for Complex Brain Networks, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan H Burdette
- Laboratory for Complex Brain Networks, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Robert G Lyday
- Laboratory for Complex Brain Networks, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Paul J Laurienti
- Laboratory for Complex Brain Networks, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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14
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Nascimento FDA, Silva DDME, Pedroso TMA, Ramos JSA, Parise MR. Farmers exposed to pesticides have almost five times more DNA damage: a meta-analysis study. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:805-816. [PMID: 34342827 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15573-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
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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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe de Araújo Nascimento
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Goiás, ICB I-Room 218/228, Campus Universitário, CEP, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil.
| | - Daniela de Melo E Silva
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Goiás, ICB I-Room 218/228, Campus Universitário, CEP, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Thays Millena Alves Pedroso
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Goiás, ICB I-Room 218/228, Campus Universitário, CEP, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Jheneffer Sonara Aguiar Ramos
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Goiás, ICB I-Room 218/228, Campus Universitário, CEP, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Michelle Rocha Parise
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Goiás, ICB I-Room 218/228, Campus Universitário, CEP, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Jataí, Jataí, GO, Brazil
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15
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Baumert BO, Fiedler N, Prapamontol T, Naksen W, Panuwet P, Hongsibsong S, Wongkampaun A, Thongjan N, Lee G, Sittiwang S, Dokjunyam C, Promkam N, Pingwong S, Suttiwan P, Siriwong W, Barry Ryan P, Boyd Barr D. Urinary Concentrations of Dialkylphosphate Metabolites of Organophosphate pesticides in the Study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE). Environ Int 2022; 158:106884. [PMID: 34583095 PMCID: PMC8688265 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Measurements of urinary dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites are often used to characterize exposures to organophosphate (OP) insecticides; however, some challenges to using urinary DAP metabolites as an exposure measure exist. OP insecticides have short biological half-lives with measurement in a single urine sample typically only reflecting recent exposure within the last few days. Because of the field staff and participant burden of longitudinal sample collection and the high cost of multiple measurements, typically only one or two urine samples have been used to evaluate OP insecticide exposure during pregnancy, which is unlikely to capture an accurate picture of prenatal exposure. METHODS We recruited pregnant farmworker women in Chom Thong and Fang, two districts of Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand (N = 330) into the Study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE) from 2017 to 2019. We collected up to 6 serial urine samples per participant during gestation and composited the samples to represent early, mid, and late pregnancy. We measured concentrations of urinary DAP metabolites in the composited urine samples and evaluated the within- and between-participant variability of these levels. We also investigated predictors of OP insecticide exposure. RESULTS DAP metabolite concentrations in serial composite samples were weakly to moderately correlated. Spearman correlations indicated that composite urine samples were more highly correlated in Fang participants than in Chom Thong participants. The within-person variances (0.064-0.65) exceeded the between-person variances for DETP, DEP, ∑DEAP, DMP, DMTP, ∑DMAP, ∑DAP. The intraclass correlations (ICCs) for the volume-based individual metabolite levels (ng/mL) ranged from 0.10 to 0.66. For ∑DEAP, ∑DMAP, and ∑DAP the ICCs were, 0.47, 0.17, 0.45 respectively. We observed significant differences between participants from Fang compared to those from Chom Thong both in demographic and exposure characteristics. Spearman correlations of composite samples from Fang participants ranged from 0.55 to 0.66 for the ∑DEAP metabolite concentrations in Fang indicating moderate correlation between pregnancy periods. The ICCs were higher for samples from Fang participants, which drove the overall ICCs. CONCLUSIONS Collecting multiple (∼6) urine samples during pregnancy rather than just 1 or 2 improved our ability to accurately assess exposure during the prenatal period. By compositing the samples, we were able to still obtain trimester-specific information on exposure while keeping the analytic costs and laboratory burden low. This analysis also helped to inform how to best conduct future analyses within the SAWASDEE study. We observed two different exposure profiles in participants in which the concentrations and variability in data were highly linked to the residential location of the participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney O Baumert
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nancy Fiedler
- Rutgers University, Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Tippawan Prapamontol
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Warangkana Naksen
- Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Surat Hongsibsong
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Anchalee Wongkampaun
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nathaporn Thongjan
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Grace Lee
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Chayada Dokjunyam
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nattawadee Promkam
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Sureewan Pingwong
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | | | - Wattasit Siriwong
- Chulalongkorn University, College of Public Health Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - P Barry Ryan
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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16
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Abstract
This article highlights the invisibility of farmworkers in Michigan, a state dependent on migrant labor for more than one hundred years. The study describes migrant housing camps using data from fieldwork, visits to housing camps, and the shadowing of outreach staff from service organizations. Although regulated, accommodations are minimal, substandard, and overcrowded, affecting the health and well-being of workers. The study describes what farmworkers do in their scant evening hours, the vulnerability of H-2A guest workers, the meticulousness accompanying outreach, and how farmworkers are visible to outreach staff. The study concludes by highlighting how farmworkers are just as invisible as are their housing camps, their contributions to the food movement, and their erasure from historic tales and promotional materials in local tourist towns, which stress the contributions of only some groups. The article underscores the value of outreach, the outstanding work performed by outreach staff, and avenues for increasing the visibility and advocacy on behalf of farmworkers.
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17
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Dobbins DL, Berenson LM, Chen H, Quandt SA, Laurienti PJ, Arcury TA. Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Low-Income, Latinx Children in Immigrant Families: Comparison of Children in Rural Farmworker and Urban Non-Farmworker Communities. J Immigr Minor Health 2021. [PMID: 34580801 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-021-01274-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are stressors that can have lifelong detrimental health effects. ACEs are a concern for children of immigrant parents. The low-income mothers of 75 rural farmworker and 63 urban non-farmworker 8-year old Latinx children in immigrant families completed a standardized ACEs inventory. 47.1% of mothers reported no ACEs, 33.3% reported 1, 8.7% reported 2, and 10.9% reported 3 or more. A logistic regression model indicated that urban versus rural children had a higher odds (OR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.01, 5.48) of at least one ACE. Children living in families with 2 versus 1 adults (OR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.49) and 3 versus 1 adults (OR = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.78) had a lower odds of at least one ACE. ACEs prevalence was similar to other children in immigrant families, with children living in urban communities having twice the likelihood of experiencing an ACE. Detailed research is needed on locality-based ACEs prevalence.
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18
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Borras SM, Franco JC, Ra D, Kramer T, Kamoon M, Phyu P, Ju KK, Vervest P, Oo M, Shell KY, Soe TM, Dau Z, Phyu M, Poine MS, Jumper MP, Mon NS, Oo K, Thu K, Khine NK, Naing TT, Papa N, Htwe LH, Reang LH, Jay LP, Jai NS, Xu Y, Wang C, Ye J. Rurally rooted cross-border migrant workers from Myanmar, Covid-19, and agrarian movements. Agric Human Values 2021; 39:315-338. [PMID: 34511717 PMCID: PMC8415701 DOI: 10.1007/s10460-021-10262-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines the situation of rurally rooted cross-border migrant workers from Myanmar during the Covid-19 pandemic. It looks at the circumstances of the migrants prior to the global health emergency, before exploring possibilities for a post-pandemic future for this stratum of the working people by raising critical questions addressed to agrarian movements. It does this by focusing on the nature and dynamics of the nexus of land and labour in the context of production and social reproduction, a view that in the context of rurally rooted cross-border migrant workers necessarily requires interrelated perspectives on labour, agrarian, and food justice struggles. This requires a rethinking of the role of land, not as a factor in either production or social reproduction, but as a central component in both spheres simultaneously. The question is not 'whether' it is necessary and desirable to forge multi-class coalitions and struggles against external capital, while not losing sight of the exploitative relations within rural communities and the household; rather, the question is 'how' to achieve this. It will require a messy recursive process, going back and forth between theoretical exploration and practical politics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saturnino M. Borras
- International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, Korternaerkade 12, 2518 AX The Hague, The Netherlands
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) of China Agricultural University, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Road, Haidan District, Beijing, 100193 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jennifer C. Franco
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) of China Agricultural University, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Road, Haidan District, Beijing, 100193 People’s Republic of China
| | - Doi Ra
- International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, Korternaerkade 12, 2518 AX The Hague, The Netherlands
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tom Kramer
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mi Kamoon
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Phwe Phyu
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Khu Khu Ju
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pietje Vervest
- Transnational Institute (TNI), De Wittenstraat 25, 1052 AK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mary Oo
- Justice Society, Northern Shan State, Myanmar
| | | | | | - Ze Dau
- Metta Development Foundation, Pegu, Myanmar
| | - Mi Phyu
- Mon Area Community Development Organization, Mon State, Myanmar
| | | | | | - Nai Sawor Mon
- Mon Region Land Policy Affair Committee, Mon State, Myanmar
| | - Khun Oo
- Pa-O Youth Organization, Southern Shan State, Myanmar
| | | | | | | | | | - Lway Htwe Htwe
- Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization, Northern Shan State, Myanmar
| | - Lway Hlar Reang
- Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization, Northern Shan State, Myanmar
| | - Lway Poe Jay
- Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization, Northern Shan State, Myanmar
| | | | - Yunan Xu
- International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, Korternaerkade 12, 2518 AX The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Chunyu Wang
- College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) of China Agricultural University, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Road, Haidan District, Beijing, 100193 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingzhong Ye
- College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) of China Agricultural University, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Road, Haidan District, Beijing, 100193 People’s Republic of China
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19
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Haqiqi I, Bahalou Horeh M. Assessment of COVID-19 impacts on U.S. counties using the immediate impact model of local agricultural production (IMLAP). Agric Syst 2021; 190:103132. [PMID: 35702605 PMCID: PMC9186126 DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in immediate and wide impacts on human and agricultural systems. While some of the positive and negative impacts of COVID-19 on the environment and economies are emerging, there is not a comprehensive understanding of the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable farmers. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to evaluate the immediate impacts of COVID-19 on agricultural and food systems in the United States. Our aim is to quantify the impacts on labor productivity in crops and livestock production considering the heterogenous vulnerability of different farmworkers. We are interested in measuring the production that is not realized due to COVID-19. METHODS In this paper, we introduce IMLAP, Immediate impact Model of Local Agricultural Production. This model is an economic framework considering short-term agricultural production responses to economic, environmental, and policy changes. We investigate the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the farmers in the U.S. for each county with a special focus on female, Hispanic, black and African American, and small-scale producers. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Considering the impacts of COVID-19 on labor, the findings of this study suggest a decline in agricultural output in all the U.S. counties ranging from 1.18% to 7.14% of total production. Our simulation results show that counties with a higher number of small-scale farms, non-white farmers, and female-operated farms are the most vulnerable to COVID-19. Also, we argue that the stimulus policies and support packages must target these communities of producers to ensure that their livelihood is protected. The findings suggest that productivity growth (technological improvements) and international trade can eliminate the negative impacts of pandemics. SIGNIFICANCE The proposed quantitative framework of this study is a simple yet novel model that empowers diverse research communities to provide a quick analysis of the impacts of unprecedented events. It offers a holistic framework to evaluate the response of agricultural production to changes in availability and productivity of labor, machinery & equipment, land, fertilizer, seeds, and other inputs. This study presents new foundations for agricultural research communities to provide solutions to agricultural resilience challenges and highlights the significance of demand drivers, technological growth, and international trade in strengthening the food system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Haqiqi
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, United States of America
| | - Marziyeh Bahalou Horeh
- Division of Resource Economics and Management, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States of America
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20
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Rojas P, Ramírez-Ortiz D, Wang W, Daniel EV, Sánchez M, Cano MÁ, Ravelo GJ, Braithwaite R, Montano NP, De La Rosa M. Testing the Efficacy of an HIV Prevention Intervention Among Latina Immigrants Living in Farmworker Communities in South Florida. J Immigr Minor Health 2021; 22:661-667. [PMID: 31493119 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-019-00923-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Latina immigrants living in farmworker communities are a population in need of HIV risk reduction interventions due to their high risk for HIV and their limited access to health care and prevention services. The present study is the first to evaluate the efficacy of SEPA intervention on a cohort of 234 pre-established Latina immigrants living in farmworker communities in South Florida. SEPA is a CDC evidenced-based and Latinx culturally tailored HIV risk reduction intervention. Data were collected through structured interviews at baseline and 6-months post intervention and were analyzed using generalized linear mixed modeling. Results showed that SEPA was effective on increasing condom use during vaginal and anal sex with male partners, self-efficacy for condom use, intentions to negotiate safe sex and HIV-related knowledge from baseline to 6-months post intervention. These findings contribute to the evidence supporting the efficacy of SEPA by confirming previous results and demonstrating the efficacy of this intervention for Latinas of diverse backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patria Rojas
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA. .,Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA. .,Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, AHC5 Room 420, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
| | - Daisy Ramírez-Ortiz
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Weize Wang
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - E Valerie Daniel
- Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mariana Sánchez
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.,Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Miguel Ángel Cano
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Gira J Ravelo
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ronald Braithwaite
- Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Psychiatry, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Mario De La Rosa
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.,Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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21
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Arcury TA, Chen H, Quandt SA, Talton JW, Anderson KA, Scott RP, Jensen A, Laurienti PJ. Pesticide exposure among Latinx children: Comparison of children in rural, farmworker and urban, non-farmworker communities. Sci Total Environ 2021; 763:144233. [PMID: 33385842 PMCID: PMC7855950 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Personal pesticide exposure is not well characterized among children in vulnerable, immigrant communities. We used silicone wristbands in 2018-2019 to assess pesticide exposure in 8 year old Latinx boys and girls in rural, farmworker families (n = 73) and urban, non-farmworker families (n = 60) living in North Carolina who were enrolled in the PACE5 Study, a community-based participatory research study. We determined the detection and concentrations (ng/g) of 75 pesticides and pesticide degradation products in the silicone wristbands worn for one week using gas chromatography electron capture detection and employed gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Differences by personal and family characteristics were tested using analysis of variance or Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests when necessary. Pesticide concentrations above the limit of detection were analyzed, and reported as geometric means and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The most frequently detected pesticide classes were organochlorines (85.7%), pyrethroids (65.4%), and organophosphates (59.4%), with the most frequently detected specific pesticides being alpha-chlordane (69.2%), trans-nonachlor (67.7%), gamma-chlordane (66.2%), chlorpyrifos (54.9%), cypermethrin (49.6%), and trans-permethrin (39.1%). More of those children in urban, non-farmworker families had detections of organochlorines (93.3% vs. 79.5, p = 0.0228) and pyrethroids (75.0% vs. 57.5%, p = 0.0351) than did those in rural, farmworker families; more children in rural, farmworker families had detections for organophosphates (71.2% vs. 45.0%, p= 0.0022). Children in urban, non-farmworker families had greater concentrations of alpha-chlordane (geometric mean (GM) 18.98, 95% CI 14.14, 25.47 vs. 10.25, 95% CI 7.49, 14.03; p= 0.0055) and dieldrin (GM 17.38, 95% CI 12.78 23.62 vs. 8.10, 95% CI 5.47, 12.00; p= 0.0034) than did children in rural, farmworker families. These results support the position that pesticides are ubiquitous in the living environment for children in vulnerable, immigrant communities, and argue for greater effort in documenting the widespread nature of pesticide exposure among children, with greater effort to reduce pesticide exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Jennifer W Talton
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Kim A Anderson
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, 2750 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
| | - Richard P Scott
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, 2750 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
| | - Anna Jensen
- North Carolina Farmworkers Project, 1238 NC Highway 50 S, Benson, NC 27504, USA.
| | - Paul J Laurienti
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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22
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Mora DC, Sandberg JC, Howard TD, Hsu FC, Quandt SA, Arcury TA. Genetic Knowledge and Communication Among Mexican Farmworkers and Non-farmworkers in North Carolina. J Immigr Minor Health 2021; 23:1026-34. [PMID: 33469784 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-020-01136-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
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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Paredes-Céspedes DM, Rojas-García AE, Medina-Díaz IM, Ramos KS, Herrera-Moreno JF, Barrón-Vivanco BS, González-Arias CA, Bernal-Hernández YY. Environmental and socio-cultural impacts on global DNA methylation in the indigenous Huichol population of Nayarit, Mexico. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021; 28:4472-4487. [PMID: 32940839 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10804-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
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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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Marcela Paredes-Céspedes
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológico Agropecuarias, Unidad Académica de Agricultura, Km. 9 Carretera Tepic-Compostela, Xalisco, Nayarit, México
- Laboratorio de Contaminación y Toxicología Ambiental, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura s/n. C.P, 6300, Tepic, Nayarit, México
| | - Aurora Elizabeth Rojas-García
- Laboratorio de Contaminación y Toxicología Ambiental, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura s/n. C.P, 6300, Tepic, Nayarit, México
| | - Irma Martha Medina-Díaz
- Laboratorio de Contaminación y Toxicología Ambiental, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura s/n. C.P, 6300, Tepic, Nayarit, México
| | - Kenneth S Ramos
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, 121 W. Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030 m EE,UU, USA
| | - José Francisco Herrera-Moreno
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológico Agropecuarias, Unidad Académica de Agricultura, Km. 9 Carretera Tepic-Compostela, Xalisco, Nayarit, México
- Laboratorio de Contaminación y Toxicología Ambiental, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura s/n. C.P, 6300, Tepic, Nayarit, México
| | - Briscia Socorro Barrón-Vivanco
- Laboratorio de Contaminación y Toxicología Ambiental, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura s/n. C.P, 6300, Tepic, Nayarit, México
| | - Cyndia Azucena González-Arias
- Laboratorio de Contaminación y Toxicología Ambiental, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura s/n. C.P, 6300, Tepic, Nayarit, México
| | - Yael Yvette Bernal-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Contaminación y Toxicología Ambiental, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura s/n. C.P, 6300, Tepic, Nayarit, México.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to summarize epidemiological literature published between May 15, 2018, and May 14, 2019, that examines the relationship between exposure to synthetic pesticides and health of agricultural workers. RECENT FINDINGS Current research suggests that exposure to synthetic pesticides may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Agricultural workers represent a potentially vulnerable population, due to a combination of unique social and cultural risk factors as well as exposure to hazards inherent in agricultural work. Pesticide exposure among agricultural workers has been linked to certain cancers, DNA damage, oxidative stress, neurological disorders, and respiratory, metabolic, and thyroid effects. This review describes literature suggesting that agricultural workers exposed to synthetic pesticides are at an increased risk of certain cancers and neurological disorders. Recent research on respiratory effects is sparse, and more research is warranted regarding DNA damage, oxidative stress, metabolic outcomes, and thyroid effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia L Curl
- Center for Excellence in Environmental Health and Safety, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise, ID, 83725, USA.
| | - Meredith Spivak
- Center for Excellence in Environmental Health and Safety, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise, ID, 83725, USA
| | - Rachel Phinney
- Center for Excellence in Environmental Health and Safety, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise, ID, 83725, USA
| | - Luke Montrose
- Center for Excellence in Environmental Health and Safety, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise, ID, 83725, USA
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25
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Abstract
Facing the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing outbreaks among farmworkers and food processing workers across the nation, the Oregon Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OR OSHA) issued temporary regulations, in contrast to optional recommendations, in late spring. These regulations aimed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among farmworkers, but made compromises that may fail to reduce the risk of further outbreaks among Oregon's agricultural workers, particularly those living in agricultural labor housing. Instead of considering the scientific literature that called for attention to space and length of time for social distancing among unrelated persons in indoor areas, the agency accepted the 6-foot social distancing rule of thumb and allowed even shorter distances between beds with the installation of plastic or plywood barriers. The 6-foot distance (or less with a barrier) between people sleeping next to each other in poorly ventilated housing has proved disastrous. Additionally, testing for migrant and seasonal farmworkers is neither uniform nor thorough, and little data have been collected to assess the success of existing testing efforts. New regulations must be adopted for farm labor housing that limit occupancy to at most two unrelated individuals for a room of 200 square feet; include expanded specification on the provision of fresh air in shared living spaces; and support increased access to testing, surveillance testing, and alternative safe housing at labor housing sites for identified cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K Accorsi
- Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Linda A McCauley
- Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing , Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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26
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Abstract
The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on farmworker communities has been well documented by the media. The virus overlays existing health disparities among farmworkers, but the population is not homogenous. One group of workers that may be even more vulnerable to the transmission of COVID-19 is the H-2A temporary worker population, because they have less control over their physical environments than domestic farmworkers, who may obtain their own housing and transportation. The H-2A program was recently altered at the federal level to ensure a steady flow of essential workers that can protect the nation's food supply during a crisis. Yet, in spite of increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in states with significant H-2A worker populations, the federal rule that temporarily expanded the H-2A program did not address needs to protect workers' health. Although the CDC has developed recommendations for the agricultural industry to safeguard against COVID-19, most health and safety regulation for farmworkers are left to state and local agencies that may lack knowledge or resources to effectively address the needs of a specialized growing workforce such as H-2A workers. More research is needed on the disparate health and safety needs of H-2A workers to assess how policy can be tailored to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus among the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Flocks
- Center for Governmental Responsibility, Levin College of Law, University of Florida , Gainesville, USA
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27
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Galvin K, Kasner E, Cruz I, Palmández P. Bridging Safety Language Disparities in Orchards: A Pesticide Label Mobile App. J Agromedicine 2020; 26:6-14. [PMID: 32744172 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2020.1795035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: The goal of this project was to determine if a mobile application displaying pesticide label information in Spanish and English was a viable approach to addressing safety and health disparities for orchard workers. This study assessed pesticide label use patterns in orchards; application user experience; and the potential of modern information systems to deliver bilingual content.Methods: Pesticide handlers and orchard managers were asked to use a mobile application prototype for a period of one month in 2016. A convenience sample of ten participants completed a 36-question interview to share their experiences. The research team summarized interview responses with summary statistics and grouped content analysis.Results: Mean participant (n=10) age was 49. Eight were Latinx and spoke Spanish as their primary language. Six used the app frequently (15 times), one used it sometimes (6 - 10 times), and three used it rarely or occasionally (1 - 5 times). All participants viewed sections about product information and personal protective equipment. Most viewed information related to emergency and first aid, hazards, and storage and disposal. Overall user experience was positive, with an emphasis on the importance of access to label information in Spanish.Conclusion: The overwhelming majority of the Pacific Northwest agricultural workforce is Spanish-speaking, despite critical pesticide safety information being provided on lengthy product label documents in technical English. This project demonstrated that the mobile application seems to be a viable approach to reducing language disparities and improving Latinx orchard worker safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kit Galvin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Edward Kasner
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Idanis Cruz
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Pablo Palmández
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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28
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Fix J, Annesi-Maesano I, Baldi I, Boulanger M, Cheng S, Cortes S, Dalphin JC, Dalvie MA, Degano B, Douwes J, Eduard W, Elholm G, Ferreccio C, Harding AH, Jeebhay M, Kelly KM, Kromhout H, MacFarlane E, Maesano CN, Mitchell DC, Mwanga H, Naidoo S, Negatu B, Ngajilo D, Nordby KC, Parks CG, Schenker MB, Shin A, Sigsgaard T, Sim M, Soumagne T, Thorne P, Yoo KY, Hoppin JA. Gender differences in respiratory health outcomes among farming cohorts around the globe: findings from the AGRICOH consortium. J Agromedicine 2020; 26:97-108. [PMID: 32182198 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2020.1713274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Respiratory hazards of farming have been identified for centuries, with little focus on gender differences. We used data from the AGRICOH consortium, a collective of prospective cohorts of agricultural workers, to assess respiratory disease prevalence among adults in 18 cohorts representing over 200,000 farmers, farm workers, and their spouses from six continents.Methods: Cohorts collected data between 1992 and 2016 and ranged in size from 200 to >128,000 individuals; 44% of participants were female. Farming practices varied from subsistence farming to large-scale industrial agriculture. All cohorts provided respiratory outcome information for their cohort based on their study definitions. The majority of outcomes were based on self-report using standard respiratory questionnaires; the greatest variability in assessment methods was associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Results: For all three respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, and wheeze), the median prevalence in men was higher than in women, with the greatest difference for phlegm (17% vs. 10%). For asthma, women had a higher prevalence (7.8% vs 6.5%), with the difference associated with allergic asthma. The relative proportion of allergic asthma varied among cohorts. In two of eight cohorts for women and two of seven cohorts for men, allergic asthma was more common than non-allergic asthma.Conclusions: These findings indicate that respiratory outcomes are common among farmers around the world despite differences in agricultural production. As women in the general population are at higher risk of asthma, exploring gender differences in occupational studies is critical for a deeper understanding of respiratory disease among agricultural workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Fix
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, NC, USA
| | - Isabella Annesi-Maesano
- Epidemiology of Allergic and Respiratory Diseases Department (EPAR), Pierre Louise Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health (IPLESP UMRS1136), UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, Saint-Antoine Medical School, Sorbonne Universités, Paris
| | - Isabelle Baldi
- INSERM U1086, Caen, France.,Centre de Lutte contre le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Mathilde Boulanger
- INSERM U1086, Caen, France.,Centre de Lutte contre le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Soo Cheng
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, PO Box 756, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
| | - Sandra Cortes
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Facultad Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 8330077, Chile
| | - Jean-Charles Dalphin
- Service de Pneumologie, CHU de Besançon, Besançon, France.,UMR 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie
- Division of Occupational Medicine and Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Bruno Degano
- Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Universitaire (CHRU), Besançon, France.,EA 3920, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Jeroen Douwes
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, PO Box 756, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
| | - Wijnand Eduard
- Department of Chemical and Biological Work Environment, STAMI National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 5330 Majorstuen, NO-0304 Oslo, Norway
| | - Grethe Elholm
- Department of Public Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Catterina Ferreccio
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Facultad Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 8330077, Chile
| | | | - Mohamed Jeebhay
- Division of Occupational Medicine and Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Kevin M Kelly
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ewan MacFarlane
- Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (MonCOEH), Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Cara Nichole Maesano
- Epidemiology of Allergic and Respiratory Diseases Department (EPAR), Pierre Louise Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health (IPLESP UMRS1136), UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, Saint-Antoine Medical School, Sorbonne Universités, Paris
| | | | - Hussein Mwanga
- Division of Occupational Medicine and Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Saloshni Naidoo
- Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Beyene Negatu
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Pesticide Registration and control, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Dorothy Ngajilo
- Division of Occupational Medicine and Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Christine G Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marc B Schenker
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Aesun Shin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehakro, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Korea
| | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Department of Public Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Malcolm Sim
- Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (MonCOEH), Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Thibaud Soumagne
- Service de Pneumologie, CHU de Besançon, Besançon, France.,UMR 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Peter Thorne
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Keun-Young Yoo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehakro, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Korea
| | - Jane A Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, NC, USA
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29
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Ghane Kisomi M, Wong LP, Tay ST, Bulgiba A, Nizam QNH. A qualitative study to explore farmworkers' knowledge, beliefs and preventive practices toward ticks and tick-borne diseases. J Infect Dev Ctries 2019; 13:1117-1126. [PMID: 32088699 DOI: 10.3855/jidc.11668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Farmworkers are considered a high-risk group for tick-borne diseases (TBDs). This qualitative study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the farmworkers' experience, knowledge, health beliefs, information needs, and preventive practices of tick bites and TBDs. METHODOLOGY A total of nine focus group discussions with 56 farmworkers across eight animal farms in Peninsular Malaysia were conducted between August and October 2013. RESULTS Farmworkers explained their experience of tick bites, but no one reported TBDs. Many farmworkers indicated that they did not seek any medical treatment. There was a misconception that ticks are solely pathogenic to farm animals. Farmworkers perceived low severity and susceptibility of tick bites, and low self-efficacy of tick bite prevention, however, a group also perceived susceptibility to getting tick bites due to the characteristics of their job. Barriers for prevention were related to the perception and knowledge towards ticks. Farmworkers requested information about TBDs. CONCLUSIONS This study of farmworkers identified gaps in the knowledge of TBDs, barriers of the tick bite preventive measures and information needs. These findings suggest a need for education programs to improve the knowledge of ticks and TBDs, change health beliefs and address the barriers of tick bite preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Ghane Kisomi
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Li Ping Wong
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Sun Tee Tay
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Awang Bulgiba
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam
- Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Malaysia, Federal Government Administrative Centre, 62630 Putrajaya, Malaysia.
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30
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Furgurson KF, Sandberg JC, Hsu FC, Mora DC, Quandt SA, Arcury TA. Cancer Knowledge Among Mexican Immigrant Farmworkers in North Carolina. J Immigr Minor Health 2019; 21:515-521. [PMID: 29948650 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0771-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
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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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine F Furgurson
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Joanne C Sandberg
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Fang-Chi Hsu
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Dana C Mora
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology & Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
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31
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López-Cevallos DF, Escutia G, González-Peña Y, Garside LI. Cardiovascular disease risk factors among Latino farmworkers in Oregon. Ann Epidemiol 2019; 40:8-12.e1. [PMID: 31708406 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2019.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death among Latinos in the United States. The present study examines the prevalence of four CVD risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity) in a large sample of Latino farmworkers in Oregon. METHODS We pooled secondary, cross-sectional data from Latino vineyard and winery farmworkers (n = 3382), in the north Willamette valley, Oregon, between 2004 and 2012. Prevalence was estimated for the four CVD risk factors under study. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between CVD risk factors, sex, and other sociodemographic factors. RESULTS Hypercholesterolemia (21.6%) and obesity (22.8%) were the most prevalent CVD risk factors among Latino farmworker participants. In multivariable analyses, men and women, aged 45-64 years, were more likely to have all four CVD risk factors than those aged 18-44. Living in the United States for ten years or more was associated with higher odds of hypertension (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.17-2.54), and obesity (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.57-2.76) among Latino farmworker men. Among Latino farmworker women, living in the United States for ten years or more increased the odds of obesity (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.07-3.06). CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the higher prevalence of CVD risk factors among Latino farmworkers and the need to address CVD risk factors in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F López-Cevallos
- Ethnic Studies, School of Language, Culture, and Society, College of Liberal Arts, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
| | - Gabriela Escutia
- Former Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists AEF Fellow, San Diego, CA
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Palzes VA, Sagiv SK, Baker JM, Rojas-Valverde D, Gutiérrez-Vargas R, Winkler MS, Fuhrimann S, Staudacher P, Menezes-Filho JA, Reiss AL, Eskenazi B, Mora AM. Manganese exposure and working memory-related brain activity in smallholder farmworkers in Costa Rica: Results from a pilot study. Environ Res 2019; 173:539-548. [PMID: 30991177 PMCID: PMC6581040 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
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 (n = 40 farmworkers) and hair (n = 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 μg/g (3.52) and 0.24 μg/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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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa A Palzes
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica; Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joseph M Baker
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Rojas-Valverde
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Randall Gutiérrez-Vargas
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Allan L Reiss
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ana M Mora
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica; Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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Ramírez-Ortiz D, Rojas P, Sánchez M, Cano MÁ, De La Rosa M. Associations of Self-Silencing and Egalitarian Attitudes with HIV Prevention Behaviors Among Latina Immigrant Farmworkers. J Immigr Minor Health 2019; 21:430-433. [PMID: 30030668 PMCID: PMC6607899 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0773-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Latinas in farmworker communities are at particularly higher risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to the vulnerable circumstances they experience. However, little is known about the factors influencing HIV prevention behaviors in this population. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of self-silencing behaviors and egalitarian attitudes toward women in relation to three HIV prevention behaviors: self-efficacy for HIV prevention, intentions to negotiate safe sex, and HIV-related knowledge. This study is a cross-sectional analysis that used hierarchical multiple regression models to examine these previously mentioned associations, among Latina immigrant farmworkers from Miami-Dade County, Florida (n = 232). Findings indicated that self-silencing behaviors were adversely associated with the three HIV preventive behaviors whereas egalitarian attitudes were positively associated. Findings from this study may help to advance the understanding of sociocultural determinants of HIV prevention behaviors among Latina immigrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Ramírez-Ortiz
- Department of Epidemiology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Patria Rojas
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
- Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Mariana Sánchez
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Miguel Ángel Cano
- Department of Epidemiology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mario De La Rosa
- Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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Arcury TA, Jensen A, Mann M, Sandberg JC, Wiggins MF, Talton JW, Hall MA, Quandt SA. Providing Health Information to Latino Farmworkers: The Case of the Affordable Care Act. J Agromedicine 2017; 22:275-281. [PMID: 28409702 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2017.1319314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Providing health program information to vulnerable communities, such as Latino farmworkers, is difficult. This analysis describes the manner in which farmworkers receive information about the Affordable Care Act, comparing farmworkers with other Latinos. METHODS Interviews were conducted with 100 Latino farmworkers and 100 urban Latino North Carolina residents in 2015. RESULTS Most farmworkers had received health information from a community organization. Trusted sources for health information were health care providers and community organizations. Sources that would influence decisions to enroll were Latino nurses and doctors, religious leaders, and family members. Traditional media, including oral presentation and printed material at the doctor's office, were preferred by the majority of farmworkers and non-farmworkers. Farmworkers used traditional electronic media: radio, television, and telephone. More non-farmworkers used current electronic media: e-mail and Internet. CONCLUSIONS Latino farmworkers and non-farmworkers prefer traditional media in the context of a health care setting. They are willing to try contemporary electronic media for this information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Arcury
- a Department of Family and Community Medicine , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Anna Jensen
- c North Carolina Farmworkers' Project , Benson , North Carolina , USA
| | - Mackenzie Mann
- c North Carolina Farmworkers' Project , Benson , North Carolina , USA
| | - Joanne C Sandberg
- a Department of Family and Community Medicine , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | | | - Jennifer W Talton
- e Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Mark A Hall
- f Department of Social Science and Health Policy, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,g Health Law and Policy Program , School of Law, Wake Forest University , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,h Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
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Ghafari M, Cheraghi Z, Doosti-Irani A. Occupational risk factors among Iranian farmworkers: a review of the available evidence. Epidemiol Health 2017; 39:e2017027. [PMID: 28728349 PMCID: PMC5543294 DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2017027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Farming is one of the most important components of most economies. No comprehensive picture exists of the health status of Iranian farmers and the work-related hazards that affect them. We aimed to determine the gaps in the current knowledge regarding the occupational health of Iranian farmworkers. Electronic databases including Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase, as well as national databases including the Scientific Information Database, MagIran, and Barakat Knowledge System, were searched for articles published through March 2017. All epidemiologic studies regarding the occupational health of farmworkers in Iran were reviewed, regardless of their design, language, time of publication, and location. Of the 86 retrieved articles, 39 studies were ultimately analyzed. Most studies were conducted in Fars, Kerman, and Mazandaran provinces. According to the results of this review, chemical, physical, and biological hazards, along with work-related injuries, may be the main factors threatening the health of farmworkers. The unsafe use of pesticides was related to male infertility, eye and digestive complications, pesticide poisoning, pesticide absorption, hematological changes, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Chemical hazards (e.g., the unsafe use of pesticides), physical hazards, injuries, and biological hazards (e.g., work-related infectious diseases) threaten the health of Iranian farmworkers. Moreover, farmworkers lack adequate knowledge about the occupational hazards they face and the relevant risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahin Ghafari
- Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Zahra Cheraghi
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Amin Doosti-Irani
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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Abstract
We investigated Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation among citizen, documented and undocumented immigrant hired crop farmworkers for ten recent years. We analyzed population representative data from the National Agricultural Workers Survey for 2003-2012 (N = 18,243 households). Time-chart, simple mean differences, and logistic regressions described farmworker household participation in SNAP. The 2008 financial crisis almost doubled SNAP-participation by agriculture households (6.5% in 2003-2007 vs. 11.3% in 2008-2012). The increasing SNAP-participation was found for citizen, documented and undocumented immigrant households. We found low participation among documented (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.56-0.8) and undocumented immigrants (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.54-0.74) compared to citizens. Low odds ratios (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.55-0.89) were found for Hispanic-citizens as compared with non-Hispanic white-citizens. Our results may help inform the debate surrounding the effects of the financial crisis on SNAP-participation and on differences in participation among citizens, immigrants, Hispanics and non-Hispanics, the latter suggesting ethnic farmworker disparities in SNAP-participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Medel-Herrero
- Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, Old Davis Rd., Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - J Paul Leigh
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
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Grzywacz JG, Arcury TA, Trejo G, Quandt SA. Latino Mothers in Farmworker Families' Beliefs About Preschool Children's Physical Activity and Play. J Immigr Minor Health 2017; 18:234-42. [PMID: 24522435 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-9990-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Document beliefs about the contribution of physical activity to preschool-aged children's health held by Latino mothers in farmworker families, and delineate their perceived barriers or constraints that impose limits on preschool-aged children's physical activity. Qualitative data obtained through semi-structured in-depth interviews (N = 33) with mothers of preschool-aged children living in Latino farmworker families in North Carolina. Mothers universally agree that regular vigorous physical activity is good for preschool-aged children's health, including obesity prevention. However, excessive physical activity can produce illnesses, as well as other physical and emotional problems, and should be limited. Mothers wanted their children to engage in more sedentary forms of activity because they believed it would benefit learning. Physical and chemical hazards in rural environments, distance to parks and play spaces, and lack of familiarity and concerns about neighbors constrained children's physical activity. Although physical activity is believed to be beneficial, strong cultural beliefs and real contextual barriers undermine preschool-aged Latino farmworker children's level of physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Grzywacz
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, 700 N. Greenwood Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74106, USA.
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Grisel Trejo
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Simsek Z, Keklik AZ, Demir C, Munir KM. Prevalence and predictors of mental health among farmworkers in Southeastern Anatolia of Turkey. Int J Environ Agric Res 2017; 3:21-29. [PMID: 28393128 PMCID: PMC5381819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental health problems represent a major component of the global burden of disease. The primary objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of psychological wellbeing among farmworkers and to evaluate their mental health services need for in rural primary health care settings. METHODS The study sample comprised 1855 farmworkers (918 women, and 937 men) who were selected using probability cluster sampling method at 95% confidence interval (87.6 % response rate). The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and socio-demographic information form were used to data collection. RESULTS The overall prevalence of mental health problems was 31.5%; the prevalence among women was 1.4 times that of men (35%, females; 28.2%, males). Logistic regression analyses revealed that poor general health, as well as presence of chronic diseases and exposure to traumatic life events predicted mental ill health among both sex. Poor economic situation, being seasonal migrant farmworker, and pesticide exposure history affected male mental health problems; while type of settlement, history of having disabled child at birth, and not having a family physician were significant predictors of female mental ill health (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the need for systematic development of community-based mental health services in conjunction with rural primary health care center and an integrated approach to health care of farmworkers. These include screening, early identification and treatment of mental health problems, development of non-communicable disease (NCD) control program, maternal health services and urgent measures to improve farmworkers' work safety and pesticide applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Simsek
- Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health Department Yenisehir Campus 63100 Sanliurfa-Turkey
| | - Ayşana Zehra Keklik
- Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health Department Yenisehir Campus 63100 Sanliurfa-Turkey
| | - Canan Demir
- Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health Department Yenisehir Campus 63100 Sanliurfa-Turkey
| | - Kerim M Munir
- Developmental Medicine Center | Boston Children's Hospital 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115
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Howard TD, Hsu FC, Chen H, Quandt SA, Talton JW, Summers P, Arcury TA. Changes in DNA methylation over the growing season differ between North Carolina farmworkers and non-farmworkers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2016; 89:1103-10. [PMID: 27349971 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-016-1148-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The occupational risk to farmworkers, particularly chronic exposure to pesticides, is an acknowledged environmental and work-related health problem. Epigenetics has recently been shown to contribute to a number of complex diseases and traits, including measures of cognitive function and preclinical neurodegenerative disease. We sought to determine whether changes in DNA methylation existed between farmworker and non-farmworker populations and to identify the genes most likely involved in those changes. METHODS Eighty-three farmworkers and 60 non-farmworkers were selected from PACE4, a community-based, participatory research project comparing occupational exposures between immigrant Latino farmworker and non-farmworker manual workers. Measurements of DNA methylation were performed with the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, at the beginning and end of the 2012 growing season. Bonferroni adjustment was used to identify significant findings (p = 1.03 × 10(-7), based on 485,000 tested methylation sites), although less stringent criteria (i.e., p ≤ 1 × 10(-6)) were used to identify sites of interest. Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) databases were used to help identify the most likely functional genes for each associated methylation site. RESULTS Methylation at 36 CpG sites, located in or near 72 genes, differed between the two groups (p ≤ 1 × 10(-6)). The difference between the two groups was generally due to an increase in methylation in the farmworkers and a slight decrease in methylation in the non-farmworkers. Enrichment was observed in several biological pathways, including those involved in the immune response, as well as growth hormone signaling, role of BRCA1 in DNA damage response, p70S6K signaling, and PI3K signaling in B lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS We identified considerable changes in DNA methylation at 36 CpG sites over the growing season that differed between farmworkers and non-farmworkers. Dominant pathways included immune-related (HLA) processes, as well as a number of diverse biological systems. Further studies are necessary to determine which exposures or behaviors are responsible for the observed changes, and whether these changes eventually lead to disease-related phenotypes in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Howard
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
| | - Fang-Chi Hsu
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Jennifer W Talton
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Phillip Summers
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Mora DC, Miles CM, Chen H, Quandt SA, Summers P, Arcury TA. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among immigrant Latino farmworkers and non-farmworkers in North Carolina. Arch Environ Occup Health 2016; 71:136-143. [PMID: 25454715 PMCID: PMC4452452 DOI: 10.1080/19338244.2014.988676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This paper evaluates the variability in the prevalence of epicondylitis, rotator cuff syndrome, low back pain, and lower extremity pathology among immigrant Latino farmworkers and non-farmworkers. Data were collected from a study among 272 farmworkers and non-farmworkers. Participants were recruited in eastern and central North Carolina. A physical examination was conducted by trained physicians. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among Latino manual workers is high compared with other workers in similar occupations. Non-farmworkers (49%) had a higher prevalence of MSDs than farmworkers (35%). Epicondylitis (20.2%) and rotator cuff syndrome (19.1%) were most prevalent. Age was found to be significant among those who had epicondylitis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.04) and lower extremity pathology (AOR = 1.07). Latino immigrant manual workers have high prevalence of MSDs. Further studies are needed to identify possible factors that make these populations more vulnerable to MSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana C. Mora
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA,
| | - Christopher M. Miles
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA,
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA,
| | - Sara A. Quandt
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA,
| | - Phillip Summers
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA,
| | - Thomas A. Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA,
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Arcury TA, Talton JW, Summers P, Chen H, Laurienti PJ, Quandt SA. Alcohol Consumption and Risk for Dependence Among Male Latino Migrant Farmworkers Compared to Latino Nonfarmworkers in North Carolina. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:377-84. [PMID: 26842256 PMCID: PMC4743540 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our aim was to describe alcohol consumption behavior of male Latino migrant farmworkers, compare their alcohol consumption behavior with that of other male Latino immigrants, and determine factors associated with risk for alcohol dependence among Latino immigrant workers. METHODS Cross-sectional data were drawn from baseline interviews conducted as part of a larger community-based participatory research project examining the cognitive and neurological outcomes of pesticide exposure. A total of 235 farmworkers and 212 nonfarmworkers completed interviews between May and August 2012. RESULTS Although 17.5% of the North Carolina Latino farmworkers report never having drunk alcohol, and a total of 34.5% report not having drunk alcohol in the previous 3 months, 48.5% engaged in heavy episodic drinking (HED) in the previous 3 months, and 23.8% frequently engaged in HED during this period. Farmworkers and nonfarmworkers did not differ significantly in alcohol consumption behavior. Farmworkers and nonfarmworkers did differ significantly in each component of the CAGE scale, with 37.9% of farmworkers and 16.0% of nonfarmworkers being at risk for alcohol dependence (p < 0.0001). Significant factors for being at risk for alcohol dependence were stress (odds ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval 1.03, 1.09) and being a farmworker (odds ratio 3.58, 95% confidence interval 2.12, 6.06). Being married reduced the risk of alcohol dependence (odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.23, 0.87). CONCLUSIONS Latino farmworkers and nonfarmworkers consume relatively large amounts of alcohol and engage in HED at relatively high rates. Latino farmworkers have very high rates of risk for alcohol dependence. Policy changes and public health interventions are needed to address these concerns for a population that is vital to the agricultural economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. Arcury
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
- Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Jennifer W. Talton
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Phillip Summers
- Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Haiying Chen
- Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Paul J. Laurienti
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Sara A. Quandt
- Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
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Nguyen HT, Kritchevsky SB, Foxworth JL, Quandt SA, Summers P, Walker FO, Arcury TA. A Pilot Study of Gait Function in Farmworkers in Eastern North Carolina. J Agromedicine 2015; 20:427-33. [PMID: 26471952 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2015.1074971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Farmworkers endure many job-related hazards, including fall-related work injuries. Gait analysis may be useful in identifying potential fallers. The goal of this pilot study was to explore differences in gait between farmworkers and non-farmworkers. The sample included 16 farmworkers and 24 non-farmworkers. Gait variables were collected using the portable GAITRite system, a 16-foot computerized walkway. Generalized linear regression models were used to examine group differences. All models were adjusted for two established confounders, age and body mass index. There were no significant differences in stride length, step length, double support time, and base of support; but farmworkers had greater irregularity of stride length (P = .01) and step length (P = .08). Farmworkers performed significantly worse on gait velocity (P = .003) and cadence (P < .001) relative to non-farmworkers. We found differences in gait function between farmworkers and non-farmworkers. These findings suggest that measuring gait with a portable walkway system is feasible and informative in farmworkers and may possibly be of use in assessing fall risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha T Nguyen
- a Department of Family and Community Medicine , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Stephen B Kritchevsky
- c Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Judy L Foxworth
- d Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences , Winston-Salem State University , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Sara A Quandt
- b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,e Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Phillip Summers
- a Department of Family and Community Medicine , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Francis O Walker
- f Department of Neurology , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- a Department of Family and Community Medicine , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA.,b Center for Worker Health , Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , USA
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Sabo S, Shaw S, Ingram M, Teufel-Shone N, Carvajal S, de Zapien JG, Rosales C, Redondo F, Garcia G, Rubio-Goldsmith R. Everyday violence, structural racism and mistreatment at the US-Mexico border. Soc Sci Med 2014; 109:66-74. [PMID: 24705336 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2013] [Revised: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Immigration laws that militarize communities may exacerbate ethno-racial health disparities. We aimed to document the prevalence of and ways in which immigration enforcement policy and militarization of the US-Mexico border is experienced as everyday violence. Militarization is defined as the saturation of and pervasive encounters with immigration officials including local police enacting immigration and border enforcement policy with military style tactics and weapons. Data were drawn from a random household sample of US citizen and permanent residents of Mexican descent in the Arizona border region (2006-2008). Qualitative and quantitative data documented the frequency and nature of immigration related profiling, mistreatment and resistance to institutionalized victimization. Participants described living and working in a highly militarized environment, wherein immigration-related profiling and mistreatment were common immigration law enforcement practices. Approximately 25% of respondents described an immigration-related mistreatment episode, of which 62% were personally victimized. Nearly 75% of episodes occurred in a community location rather than at a US port of entry. Participant mistreatment narratives suggest the normalization of immigration-related mistreatment among the population. Given border security remains at the core of immigration reform debates, it is imperative that scholars advance the understanding of the public health impact of such enforcement policies on the daily lives of Mexican-origin US permanent residents, and their non-immigrant US citizen co-ethnics. Immigration policy that sanctions institutional practices of discrimination, such as ethno-racial profiling and mistreatment, are forms of structural racism and everyday violence. Metrics and systems for monitoring immigration and border enforcement policies and institutional practices deleterious to the health of US citizens and residents should be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Sabo
- University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Arizona Prevention Research Center, United States.
| | - Susan Shaw
- University of Arizona, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Anthropology, United States
| | - Maia Ingram
- University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Arizona Prevention Research Center, United States
| | - Nicolette Teufel-Shone
- University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Division of Health Promotion Science, United States
| | - Scott Carvajal
- University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Arizona Prevention Research Center, United States
| | - Jill Guernsey de Zapien
- University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Arizona Prevention Research Center, United States
| | - Cecilia Rosales
- University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Division of Community, Environment, and Policy, United States
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