Northern California Hispanic Migrant Farm Workers Health Status: A Case Study
Author: Perez, Miguel A.
Date Published: 1998
Determining the exact number of farm workers in the United States is a difficult task confounded by the fact that each of the federal agencies dealing with farm workers use different definitions. Currently, the Office of Migrant Health estimates the number of farm workers and their dependant population to be 4.1 million with approximately 1.6 million having migratory status. However, other estimates place the number of farm workers in the United States between one and five million. The lack of uniform definition and the inability to provide an accurate census have often been cited as major issues complicating efforts to reach the U.S. farm worker population. Overall, the U.S. farm worker population has been found to be primarily male (73%), young (67% age 35 or younger with a median age of 31), married, immigrants (67% foreign-born, and 70% of Hispanic origin), and 53% with eight or fewer years of formal education. There is contradictory data regarding the legal status of foreign-born farm workers. The General Accounting Office estimates that up to 50% of farm workers are illegal in this country, however, other researchers have concluded that high percentages of foreign-born farm workers are either legally naturalized citizens or legal permanent residents. The data is further confounded by passage of the 1986 Immigration Law which enabled many individuals employed in agriculture to adjust their legal status resulting in an even higher number of foreign-born farm workers who are legally authorized to reside and work in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify priority health problems among northern California seasonal and migrant farm workers and to identify barriers to the use of health services.
Date Published: 1998
Determining the exact number of farm workers in the United States is a difficult task confounded by the fact that each of the federal agencies dealing with farm workers use different definitions. Currently, the Office of Migrant Health estimates the number of farm workers and their dependant population to be 4.1 million with approximately 1.6 million having migratory status. However, other estimates place the number of farm workers in the United States between one and five million. The lack of uniform definition and the inability to provide an accurate census have often been cited as major issues complicating efforts to reach the U.S. farm worker population. Overall, the U.S. farm worker population has been found to be primarily male (73%), young (67% age 35 or younger with a median age of 31), married, immigrants (67% foreign-born, and 70% of Hispanic origin), and 53% with eight or fewer years of formal education. There is contradictory data regarding the legal status of foreign-born farm workers. The General Accounting Office estimates that up to 50% of farm workers are illegal in this country, however, other researchers have concluded that high percentages of foreign-born farm workers are either legally naturalized citizens or legal permanent residents. The data is further confounded by passage of the 1986 Immigration Law which enabled many individuals employed in agriculture to adjust their legal status resulting in an even higher number of foreign-born farm workers who are legally authorized to reside and work in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify priority health problems among northern California seasonal and migrant farm workers and to identify barriers to the use of health services.
