Abstract and pdf: Health of California's Immigrant Farmworkers

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<<Villarejo et al. Health of California Immigrant Farmworkers Am Jl Ind Med 2010.pdf>>

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE 53:387–397 (2010)

The Health of California’s Immigrant Hired Farmworkers

Don Villarejo, BS, MS, PhD,1_,{ A. McCurdy, MPH, MD,2 Bonnie Bade, PhD,3

Steve s,4 Lighthall, PhD,5 and III, BA, MBA

6,{

Background Hispanic immigrant workers dominate California’s hired farm workforce.

Little is known about their health status; even less is known about those lacking

employment authorization.

Methods The California Agricultural Workers Health Survey (CAWHS) was a statewide

cross-sectional household survey conducted in 1999. Six hundred fifty-four workers

completed in-person interviews, comprehensive physical examinations, and personal risk

behavior interviews.

Results The CAWHS PE Sample is comprised mostly of young Mexican men who lack

health insurance and present elevated prevalence of indicators of chronic disease:

overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, and high serum cholesterol. The self-reported,

cumulative, farm work career incidence of paid claims for occupational injury under

workers compensation was 27% for males and 11% for females.

Conclusions The survey finds elevated prevalence of indicators of chronic disease but

lack of health care access. Participants without employment authorization reported

a greater prevalence of high-risk behaviors, such as binge drinking, and were less

knowledgeable about workplace protections. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:387–397, 2010.

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Villarejo et al. Health of California Immigrant Farmworkers Am Jl Ind Med 2010.pdf