Prevalence of Skin Illnesses among Latino Immigrant Poultry Processing Workers in Rural North Carolina

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of Latino immigrants work in poultry processing. The work environments in poultry plants have areas that range from cold and wet to hot and humid; chemicals, debris from chickens, and the meat itself are agents that can cause skin illnesses. The prevalence of dermatological illnesses and injuries is not well documented among this underserved and often exploited workforce. This paper presents the prevalence of skin illnesses and injuries among Latino immigrant poultry processing workers in rural North Carolina. METHODS: Community-based sampling was used to recruit 407 immigrant Latino poultry workers from western North Carolina. 290 study participants agreed to undergo physical examinations, performed by a board-certified dermatologist. Skin examinations were focused on the face and neck, arms, hands and feet, and presence or absence of disease was recorded. RESULTS: Most participants were between 18 and 30 years of age; 60% had 6 or fewer years of education; and 90% were from either Mexico or Guatemala. Years worked in poultry ranged from <1 to 23 with a mean of 5 years. 86% of the workers had a skin illness or injury. 57% had an infectious skin illness. Among the skin illnesses most often recorded were onychomycosis (35 %) and tinea pedis (39%) CONCLUSION: Dermatological injuries and illnesses are common among Latino poultry processing workers. Better understanding of work conditions in this population may help to develop ways of preventing these conditions.