Managing the Distress of Migrant Farmworkers: Lessons Learned From the Midwestern United States

Abstract

In a labor-intensive sector such as agriculture, safety and health-related risks are high. They are particularly pronounced for migrant farmworkers, and various health-related programs tailored to their particular needs have been developed. Twenty semi-structured interviews with health and safety professionals and researchers working on these issues in four US federal states show that the most important issues affecting this group are insecure or undocumented legal status, poor working and living conditions, and inadequate access to support services. The importance of building “communities of migrant farmworkers” and direct engagement with this group was emphasized.

Keywords

• migrant farmworkers
• agriculture
• distress
• mental health
• support programs