Migrant farmworkers are among the least well served of America’s poor. Transience, political disenfranchisement, and constantly changing demographics have contributed to the lack of comprehensive health services for many in this population. While it may be expected that farm laborers are self-selected as a healthy population, there is some evidence that they experience more health problems than others of the same age and socioeconomic status (Dever, 1991; Slesinger & Ofstead, 1993). To date no exploration of a possible link between social, cultural, and economic factors affecting migrant health has been published. Without knowing which factors are related to health in a population, nurses are at a disadvantage when planning interventions. In this study, multiple determinants, specifically social, cultural, and economic factors, were examined in their relationships to health and disease for Hispanic migrant farmworkers. The latest National Agricultural Workers’ Survey (NAWS) indicates that 88% of farmworkers self-identify as Hispanic (Mehta et al., 2000). Analysis of the data collected in the 1998 cycles of the NAWS was performed. This survey, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, contains in-depth interviews of a representative sample of about 2000 currently employed farmworkers. Trained bilingual personnel conduct interviews in locations chosen by the workers. Variables were constructed in order for a path analysis to be performed. Variables included housing/ working conditions, legal status, language barriers, family separation, poverty, and access to acceptable health care. Results of the tested model will be presented.
Learning Objectives: After studying this poster the participant will be able to: 1. Discuss the relationship of social, cultural, and economic factors to the presence of health problems in the Hispanic migrant farmworkers; 2. Describe the implications of this study for nursing care delivery.
Keywords: , Migrant Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.