Labor Exploitation and Health Inequities Among Market Migrants: A Political Economy Perspective

2020

BMC Public Health

Background: Current research advocates lifestyle factors to manage workers' health issues, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes mellitus, among other things (World Health Organization (WHO) Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic, 2000; World Health Organization (WHO) Obesity and overweight, 2016), though little is known about employees' lifestyle factors in high-stress, high turnover environments, such as in the long term care (LTC) sector. Methods: Drawing on qualitative single-case study in Ontario, Canada, this paper investigates an under-researched area consisting of the health practices of health care workers from high-stress, high turnover environments. In particular, it identifies LTC worker's mechanisms for maintaining physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Results: The findings suggest that while particular mechanisms were prevalent, such as through diet and exercise, they were often conducted in group settings or tied to emotional health, suggesting important social and mental health contexts to these behaviors. Furthermore, there were financial barriers that prevented workers from participating in these activities and achieving health benefits, suggesting that structurally, social determinants of health (SDoH), such as income and income distribution, are contextually important. Conclusions: Accordingly, given that workplace health promotion and protection must be addressed at the individual, organizational, and structural levels, this study advocates integrated, total worker health (TWH) initiatives that consider social determinants of health approaches, recognizing the wider socio-economic impacts of workers' health and wellbeing. What is already known about this subject?Current research advocates lifestyle factors to manage health issues of workers, such as managing obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes mellitus, among other things [50,51], though little is known about employees' lifestyle factors in high-stress, high turnover environments, such as in the long term care (LTC) sector. What are the new findings?The findings suggest that LTC workers typically maintained health and wellbeing through self-care measures conducted in group settings or tied to proxies of relaxation and emotional health, however, a few indicated that finances were barriers to practicing healthy behaviors.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet, physical activity, and emotional health: what works, what doesn’t, and why we need integrated solutions for total worker health

2020

BMC Public Health

“…However, a number of scholars argue that some Canadian policies towards ethno-racial minorities and racialized immigrants are not inclusive, and actually mask historical and contemporary realities of slavery, xenophobia, Othering, colonialism, and racism, which have been manifest in labour and citizenship policies 6,7 and have real consequences for wellbeing 8 and health. 9,10 In this paper, I raise the following research questions: What are the human rights consequences, and the potential health implications of banning religious symbols for Canadian workers in Quebec? Which ethnic or religious minorities are most affected by such policies?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hijab, niqab, and the religious symbol debates: consequences for health and human rights

The International Journal of Human Rights

2020

Self Cite

Recently there has been a rise in state surveillance of racialized persons, immigrants, and religious minorities. While there is abundant literature that discusses the discourses of security and concerns over international terrorism, as well as acculturation and accommodation, little is known about how some of these public policies and practices intersect with human rights, health, and wellbeing. This paper seeks to illuminate the health and human rights consequences of policies about the hijab and niqab, including bans on religious symbols in public workplaces. This work is guided by interdisciplinary health, social justice, and antiracism frameworks, and it explores the human rights concerns of policies that may be used to justify surveillance and control over racialized people, migrants, and their cultural practices. Various countries have increasingly expanded their surveillance of immigrant people from South Asia and the Middle East, especially Arabs, Central and South Asians, Africans, and Muslims. These groups have been experiencing racism at their places of worship, borders, ports of entry, and at airports. 1 Many governments, including the provincial government of Quebec from within Canada, have introduced policy interventions aimed at persons displaying religious symbols, which I argue have undermined the human rights and well-being of affected groups.

“…Canadian studies of immigrants, racialized workers, and women suggest that these groups are often predisposed to high stress, chronic illness [ 32 , 33 , 34 ], and difficulties in managing domestic duties [ 35 ] due to work precarization [ 36 ], which adversely affects their health and well-being [ 33 ]. In addition, research has shown that in the care-work sector, many of these employees experience work hierarchies and strict divisions of labor [ 37 ], while utilizing various mechanisms to regulate emotional health [ 38 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clearing the Smoke Screen: Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, and Stress Management Techniques among Canadian Long-Term Care Workers

2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

Background: Currently, there is abundant research indicating that smoking and alcohol consumption have significant impacts on morbidity and mortality, though little is known about these behaviors among Canadian health care workers. The objective of this study was to examine health and coping behaviors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption as well as stress management techniques, among health care workers consisting of gendered, racialized, and immigrant employees. Methods: Drawing on a single-case, mixed-methods study in Ontario, Canada, this paper presents under-researched data about smoking practices, alcohol consumption, and stress management techniques among health care workers in labor-intensive, high-stress, high-turnover environments. In particular, it identifies the various mechanisms for maintaining health and well-being. Results: The findings suggest that 7.7% of survey respondents reported smoking while 43.4% reported alcohol consumption, which were reported more frequently among immigrants than among non-immigrants. Participants also reported health-promoting activities in face-to-face interviews, such as mindful breathing techniques and drawing upon social support, while a few respondents reported alcohol consumption to specifically cope with sleep disturbances and job stress. Conclusions: Although smoking and alcohol consumption were both connected with coping strategies and leisure, they were predominant in immigrant groups compared to non-immigrant groups.