Associations between poor living conditions and multi-morbidity among Syrian migrant agricultural workers in Lebanon

Abstract

Background: Syrian migrant farmworkers are among the most marginalized populations in Lebanon, living in poverty, lacking basic legal protections and frequent targets of discrimination. These realities produce living conditions that undermine their basic health and wellbeing. This study explores associations between household living conditions and acute and chronic health problems among Syrian migrant agricultural workers in the Bekaa region of Lebanon. Methods: A survey was carried out in summer of 2011 with a sample of 290 migrant agriculture workers and members of their household living in a migrant farmworker camp. The survey assessed participants living conditions, assets and health conditions. Regression analyses were carried out to examine associations between multi-morbidity and quality of household and neighborhood living conditions. Results: The mean age for the population was 20 years. Forty-seven percent of participants reported health problems. Almost 20% reported either one acute or chronic illness, 15% reported two health problems and 13% reported three or more. The analysis showed a significant positive association between multi-morbidity and poor housing and infrastructure conditions among study participants. Conclusion: The situation for migrant communities in Lebanon has likely further deteriorated since the study was conducted, as hundreds of thousands of new migrants have entered Lebanon since the outbreak of the Syrian armed conflict in 2011. These findings should inspire multi-faceted community development initiatives that provide basic minimums of neighborhood infrastructure and housing quality for Syrian migrant informal settlements across Lebanon, safeguarding the health and wellbeing of community residents.

Migrant Workers and Physical Health: an Umbrella Review

“…From our review, another particularly risky sector has turned out to be agriculture. Migrant farmers are among the most marginalized job classes, often very poor, without legal protection and residing in inadequate facilities [81]. Workers employed in the seasonal migrant agricultural sector are exposed to climatic conditions with high temperatures, chemicals and pesticides that can lead to dermatological diseases and respiratory diseases, to incongruous postures and repetitive movements resulting in musculoskeletal disorders, to sometimes fatal traumatic injuries [82,83,84].…”

“…Workers employed in the seasonal migrant agricultural sector are exposed to climatic conditions with high temperatures, chemicals and pesticides that can lead to dermatological diseases and respiratory diseases, to incongruous postures and repetitive movements resulting in musculoskeletal disorders, to sometimes fatal traumatic injuries [82,83,84]. Housing conditions in poorly ventilated housing, poor hygienic conditions, with humidity and mildew, favor the onset of respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia and asthma, and infectious diseases [81,85].…”

Slums, Space, and State of Health—A Link between Settlement Morphology and Health Data

“…Seven studies in five countries (Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Yemen) have been carried out for this region, one in North Africa and the other six in the Middle East. Several of those studies relate to temporary informal settlements resulting from the armed conflicts in this region [98,105].…”

Displacement, deprivation and hard work among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

“…Over a third of Syrian refugees live in the Bekaa region in eastern Lebanon, a fertile valley home to 42% of the country’s cultivated land that shares a long border with Syria and is characterised by a plethora of informal tented settlements (ITS) 1. Before the war in Syria, Bekaa had long been a place where Syrian migrants participated in seasonal agricultural work 3…”