The Intersection of Workplace and Environmental Exposure on Health in Latinx Farm Working Communities in Rural Inland Southern California

Abstract

Workplace and environmental exposures pose health risks for racial/ethnic minorities in rural agricultural communities, placing them at a disadvantage in accessing needed health care. Over three fourths (76%) of the 2.4 million farmworkers in the United States are immigrants, mostly from Mexico. However, little is known of the community health concerns and barriers to care of Latinx farmworkers in inland southern California. This qualitative study used a community-based participatory research approach, conducting nine in-home meetings to obtain meaningful community input on health concerns and barriers to access healthcare services among rural residents of the Eastern Coachella Valley, who are also located near the desert-bound Salton Sea of inland southern California. All interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed via listening to the audio recordings and summarizing data in templates and matrices. Participants discussed health concerns related to agricultural labor, including heat-related illness, musculoskeletal ailments and injuries, skin disorders, respiratory illness, and trauma. Participants raised concerns about environmental exposures related to agriculture and the nearby Salton Sea, a highly saline lakebed, and proposed solutions to improve the health of their communities. The findings from this study suggest farmworkers are aware of the health risks posed by living and working in rural farmlands but lack resources and information to act upon and advocate for improved public health.

Repeat wildfire and smoke experiences shared by four communities in Southern California: local impacts and community needs

“…These health impacts in ECV unincorporated communities are especially burdensome given the compounding risks of co-occurring extreme heat, poor and unstable housing, low income, (30%-50% of residents live at or below the federal poverty level [35,43]), occupations outdoors like agriculture and construction, additional environmental pollutants from pesticide drift and fugitive dust. Wildfire and smoke are one of multiple contributors to poor air quality that threatens the health of ECV communities, with indications for long-term health consequences [44].…”

Latinx and Indigenous Mexican Caregivers’ Perspectives of the Salton Sea Environment on Children’s Asthma, Respiratory Health, and Co-Presenting Health Conditions

“…A unique example of the confluence of structural and SDOH on childhood asthma is among low-income Latinx and Indigenous Mexican children in communities bordering the Salton Sea in the desert region of Inland Southern California [12,13]. The prevalence of childhood asthma among children living along the southern part of the Salton Sea is 20-22.4% [14], double the state and national childhood asthma prevalence of 10% and 11.3%, respectively [1].…”

“…In this article, we build on our existing work on the working and living conditions that contribute to health disparities among the Latinx and Purépecha farm working communities along the northern part of the Salton Sea [12,17] and consider the impact of the Salton Sea environment on the health and wellbeing of children living along its borders. The funded project, Childhood Asthma and the Salton Sea, is part of a larger National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities-funded project focused on exposure to aerosolized environmental contaminants from the Salton Sea's drying lakebed.…”

Seasonal Migrant Workers Perceived Working Conditions and Speculative Opinions on Possible Uptake of Exoskeleton with Respect to Tasks and Environment: A Case Study in Plant Nursery

“…Despite their importance in Canada's agricultural industry, farmworkers worked in hazardous and exploitative environments [3]. That is, farmworkers faced numerous chemical (pesticides, fertilizer, and air pollution), physical (machine-related injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, and heat exposure), biological (access to water, sanitation, and hygiene), social (food insecurity, lack of quality housing, fears of deportation), and climate change threats to their health [4][5][6]. Most workers employed in farming worked outdoors, exposing them to heat, cold, ultraviolet rays and humid environments, putting them at risk for dehydration and heat-related illness [7].…”

“…Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to determine common musculoskeletal disorders affecting various regions in the body [17,18]. Structured surveys were also used to collect information about migrant workers' perception of workplace hazards, health and safety awareness [5,19], employment conditions, and psychosocial working conditions [18].…”