Communication Facts: Special Populations: Migrant Workers - 2004 Edition

The agriculture industry is consistently one of the most dangerous industries in which to work in the United States (1-3). Agricultural workers have a range of responsibilities, from planting, cultivating, grading, and sorting products, to inspecting commodities and facilities. They may work with food crops, animals, or plants (16). Of this group, migrant farm work is one of the most underserved and understudied occupations in the United States (3).

Demographics

• It is estimated that there are over 3 million migrant and seasonal farm workers in the United States (1, 4-7).
• The average age of farm workers is approximately 31 years (4).
• Approximately 85% of migrant and seasonal farm workers in the United States are minorities. The majority are Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Caribbean Blacks, and African Americans (3, 8).
• Approximately 80% of migrant and seasonal farm workers are men. Women are more likely to be U.S.-born than men, 34% and 15% respectively (4).

Health Issues

• Disease and mortality rates among migrant workers exceed those of the general United States population. Information about health and health care is transmitted more commonly by word-of-mouth than through the media. High illiteracy rates, language barriers, and adherence to folk medicine traditions further impede education from reaching this group (5, 8).
• Everyday about 500 agricultural workers suffer lost-work-time injuries, and about 5% of these result in permanent impairment (1).
• Among the most common principal diagnoses in migrant health clinics are upper respiratory infection, hypertension, dental disease, cancer, and various ear disorders (2, 7, 9).
• Incidences of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat have been found to be significantly higher when compared to the general population (9).

Communication Disorders

• Occupational exposures to organic dusts, gases, and chemicals result in farmers’ increased risk of respiratory health problems. Coughs, wheezing, phlegm in the chest, and breathlessness are significantly associated with pulmonary function results (10).
• There is a significantly elevated risk for lip cancer development within the farm worker population. In addition to sunlight exposure, factors such as viral infection or reduced immunity may play a role in the cancer’s source (11).
• According to one study, men who live in rural areas (including farmers) demonstrate a high prevalence of hearing loss and associated communication problems due to excessive noise exposure (12).
• Noise is one of the most important physical factors that occur in an agricultural working environment. Noise-related hearing impairment is the third most common occupational impairment recognized in agriculture (13, 14).
• Noise occurring at a workplace with agricultural tractors and self-propelled machine operators is characterized by great variability during work. The seasonal character of work activities performed in agricultural arenas, according to the season of the year and varied time of annual exposure, contributes to the complexity of exposure to this risk factor (15).

References

1. National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc. Occupational Safety. <Accessed March 3, 2004, http://www.ncfh.org>.
2. Rautiainen, R.H., & Reynolds, S.J. (2002, August). Mortality and morbidity in agriculture in the United States. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 8(8): 259-276.
3. Office of Minority Health. (1997, October). Migrant Farmworkers Suffer from Pesticide Exposure. <Accessed February 25, 2004, http://www.omhrc.gov/ctg/env-09.htm>.
4. National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc. Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Demographics Fact Sheet. <Accessed March 3, 2004, http://www.ncfh.org>.  
5. Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration. Kids into Health Careers: Migrant Health Center Program. <Accessed February 25, 2004, http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/kidscareers/migrant_program.htm>.
6. No Author. (1995). Health care for children of migrant workers. American Family Physician, 52(7): 2108.
7. Hansen, E., & Donohoe, M. (2003, May). Health issues of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 14(2): 153-164.
8. Gadon, M., Chierici, R-M., & Rios, P. (2001). Afro-American migrant farmworkers: A culture in isolation. AIDS Care, 13(6): 789-801.
9. Dever, G.E.A. (1992). Migrant health status: Profile of a population with complex health issues. Texas Journal of Rural Health, first quarter, 16.
10. Mpofu, D., Lockinger, L., Bidwell, J., & McDuffie, H.H. (2002, November). Evaluation of a respiratory health program for farmers and their families. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 44(11): 1064-1074.
11. Khuder, S.A. (1999, April). Etiologic clues to lip cancer from epidemiologic studies on farmers. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 25(2): 125-130.
12. Karlovich, R.S., Wiley, T.L., Tweed, T., & Jensen, D.V. (1988, January-February). Hearing sensitivity in farmers. Public Health Reports, 103(1): 61-71.
13. Hwang, S.A., et. al. (2001, July). Predictors of hearing loss in New York farmers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 40(1): 23-31.
14. Leszek, S. (2002). Hearing loss among private farmers in the light of current criteria for diminished sense of hearing. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 9, 157-162.
15. Leszek, S. (2003). Preliminary evaluation of occupational hearing loss risk among private farmers. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 10, 211-215.
16. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2002). Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-2003. <Accessed February 25, 2004, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos285.htm>.

Compiled by Andrea Castrogiovanni * American Speech-Language-Hearing Association * 2200 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850 * acastrogiovanni@asha.org