Seasonal farmwork and gender: Unequal risks, equal vulnerability

Seasonal and migrant agricultural workers in the U.S. are overwhelmingly Latino, and, although both men and women are so employed, the workforce is disproportionately male (85%). While similar tasks are performed by men and women, men are more likely to harvest crops while women are more likely to be employed in post-harvest work (e.g.: packing). This presentation will describe an analysis of the U.S. Department of Labor National Agricultural Workers Survey that indicates some gender- specific characteristics of Latino farmworkers that have implications for health programs and health providers.

The proportion of male workers was unevenly distributed nationally, with a higher percentage in the East than in the Midwest or West Coast. In addition, male farmworkers were less likely than women to have legal documentation, had lower educational levels, were less likely to report health problems and, once a problem was identified, less likely to use U.S. health providers. Male workers were also more likely to “follow the crops” and thus change location several times during the growing season. In addition to cultural considerations, these attributes clearly call for distinct approaches by U.S. health providers. Implications for outreach and clinical practice will be discussed.