FA R M L A B O R I N F O R M AT I O N B U L L E T I N
Voice of the Fields California
September 21, 2011
FREE
Volume 21, Number 7
Health Issues for Migrant Workers
H
ealth is a big concern for farmworkers. According to the National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc., farmworkers are more likely to contract certain diseases or have health issues than other populations due to the type of work and working conditions that they are exposed to. Studies indicate that farmworkers suffer higher rates of infectious disease, tuberculosis, parasitic infection, and diarrhea than the general population. Occupational hazards are also attributed to higher instances of respiratory issues, which are often caused by exposure to fungi, dust and pesticides.
Respiratory Issues Because they work outdoors, farmworkers are often exposed to environmental factors that put them at higher risk for respiratory issues such as asthma or bronchitis. Farmworkers are also susceptible to “Farmers Lung” which is an allergy-related disease caused by the inhalation of dust from moldy hay or straw, grain or tobacco. According to the National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc., farmworkers have a higher death rate related to respiratory conditions than other populations. If you have a respiratory
illness, seek medical attention and treatment immediately.
Diabetes According to the American Diabetes Association, Hispanics are 1.5 times and Mexican Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have type-2 diabetes than non-Hispanic White adults. Migrant farmworkers are predominately Hispanic and have a higher genetic disposition to diabetes, although lifestyle and diet also play a critical role in developing the disease. While some types of diabetes can be controlled by diet, they still require frequent monitoring. Many types of diabetes require long-term treatment in order to control. Diabetes can also put you at higher risk for eye, skin and foot complications as well as heart disease and high blood pressure.
Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis Migrant workers are at increased risk for contracting a variety of viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. They are approximately 6 times more likely to have tuberculosis than the general population due to their work and living conditions. Also, Migrant farmworkers with HIV are
also at higher risk of contracting other infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by inflammation, formation of tubercles (node-like lesions), tissue death, formation of fiber-like tissue, and deposition of calcium. The disease commonly affects the respiratory system but may also involve other organ systems. TB is often spread through the air when an infected person coughs and is spread easily between people that live together, especially in close quarters, and those that travel together. Continued on next page
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Health Issues
Continued from previous page
Access to Health Services Migrant workers and their families face unique issues when accessing quality healthcare. Because they often have little or no insurance, and because they move around, they often don’t have any primary care. There are a number of options through federal and state government programs to help you obtain health care services.
Migrant Health Centers Migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families have access to primary healthcare services from Migrant Health Centers (MHC) across the United States through the Migrant Health Act of 1962. For a directory of Migrant Health Centers in California, contact the National Center for Farm Worker Health at (800) 531-5120 or find it on their website at: www.ncfh.org/index. php?plugin=pocket_directory&conten t=results&state=CA.
Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers There are also a number of rural health clinics in underserved areas of the state. The Rural Health Clinic program is meant to increase primary care services for Medicaid and Medicare patients in rural communities and can be public, private or non-profit. As of January 2001, there were approximately 275 Rural Health Clinics in California, with at least 40 of the state’s 58 counties.
A federally qualified health center (FQHC) is a type of provider defined by the Medicare and Medicaid statutes. FQHCs include all organizations receiving grants under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. These FQHCs serve residents in underserved areas and provide care even if you have no health insurance. Fees are assessed on what you can afford to pay. To find a federally funded health center or rural health clinic in your area visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa. gov/Search_HCC.aspx?byCounty=1. You can also call the U.S. Health Resources and Service Administration at (877) 464-4772 (9:30-5:30 ET).
Mobile Health Clinics There are also a number of mobile health clinics in California that offer a variety of health services to residents in the state. For a list of mobile health clinics that are registered through the Mobile Health Network, visit www. mobilehealthmap.org/mhc_list.php.
Mental Health Issues According to the Farmworker Advocacy Network, 40 percent of farmworkers nationally are depressed and 30 percent experience anxiety. Causes of strain on mental health include isolation, limited social support, separation from family members, job and financial stress, poor housing and unhealthy working conditions. Migrant workers face numerous
sources of stress, including job uncertainty, poverty, social and geographic isolation, intense time pressures, poor housing conditions, intergenerational conflicts, separation from family, lack of recreation, and health and safety concerns.
Are you or someone you know in crisis? Contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. This is a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The State’s public mental health system offers a variety of services to those who have a mental illness. There are community programs in place, as well as hospital-based services. The California Department of Mental health offers the following services through your local (county) mental health department: n Rehabilitation and support n Evaluation and assessment n Vocational rehabilitation n Individual service planning n Residential treatment n Medication education and management To find your local mental health services, visit www.dmh.ca.gov/ docs/CMHDA.pdf. You can also get information on mental health services in your area by calling (916) 654-2147.
New Law Requires Whooping Cough Vaccine for Incoming Students (7th -12th grade)
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hooping cough, or Pertussis, is a highly contagious disease that can last for months and causes violent, uncontrollable coughing, and often makes breathing very difficult. Though it can affect people of all ages, in infants, whooping cough can cause permanent disability, or even death, according to the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/features/ pertussis/). Incidences of whooping cough have been on the rise in recent years, especially in California, where the illness was responsible for the deaths of 10 infants. To address this serious public health threat, AB 354—signed into law in September 2010—requires all children entering or continuing to 7th-12th grade in the 2011-12 school year to provide proof that they received the Tdap booster shot before they will be allowed to start school.
After the 2011-12 school year, only students entering 7th grade will need proof of an adolescent whooping cough booster shot before beginning school. The Tdap booster not only protects against whooping cough, but also against Tetanus (causes muscle tightening and lockjaw) and Diphteria (a throat infection that can lead to breathing problems), as well. If your child has not had this vaccine already, contact your doctor as soon as possible, as a large number of students will need a Tdap shot. For more information about the new vaccine requirement, visit www.shotsforschool. org or the California Department of Education’s website, www.cde.ca.gov/ ls/he/hn/pertussis.asp. The Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) offers free or low cost vaccines for eligible patients 18 years and younger. If your child/student is eligible for Medi-Cal, you can find
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) into law in March of 2010. The PPACA reforms aspects of private and public health insurance programs in the United States in order to expand access to health care insurance for more than 30 million Americans. The law will implement reforms over the next few years (until 2014) to make health insurance more affordable for all Americans, and more importantly those who are considered low-income individuals. To get more information about how the PPACA affects you, visit www. healthcare.gov. This website is dedicated to providing information to you related to the PPACA, and can help you find health care insurance options.
Immunizations Needed to Enter School Immunizations required to enter Kindergarten: n Polio n DTaP n MMR n Hepatitis B n Varicella (Chickenpox) Immunizations required to enter 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade: n Tdap (pertussis booster) For more information visit Information for Parents at www. shotsforschool.org/parentinfo. html. a VFC provider near you by visiting http://shotsforschool.org/parentinfo. html or calling 1-877-243-8832. If you are uninsured or if your insurance does not cover vaccinations, you can find a list of federally qualified health centers in their area at www.oshpd.ca.gov/ RHPC/Clinics/FQHCS.html. You can also get immunizations at some county health departments or local pharmacies. To find your local health department by county, visit http:// shotsforschool.org/lhd.html.
AIDS and HIV in Migrant Workers
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n 2010, there were approximately two million hired agricultural workers in the United States. Unfortunately, these workers have traditionally been left out of HIV and AIDS prevention due to their high mobility and lack of access to health services. According to a report commissioned by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005, An Epidemic Without Borders: HIV/AIDS in California and Mexico, migrant workers are also considered vulnerable to AIDS and HIV, in part because of unsafe sexual practices. Also, workers
are often uninsured or do not seek medical help for early symptoms. This can lead to further spread of the disease. Many infected migrant workers do not know that they are infected and travel home to Mexico during the off-season and transmit the disease to others unknowingly. For the sake of their health and the health of their loved ones, migrant workers who engage in high-risk behaviors (described above) should be tested immediately in order to prevent further infection of others. Common testing places include your local health department, a private doctor’s office or
What are the signs and symptoms of HIV? The only way to know if you’re infected with HIV is to be tested. You can’t rely on symptoms to know whether or not you’re infected. Many people who are infected with HIV don’t have any symptoms at all for 10 years or more. The following may be warning signs of advanced infection with HIV: n Rapid weight loss; n Dry cough; n Night sweats or fever that keeps coming back; n Feeling very tired for no reason; n Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck; n Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week; n White spots on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat; n Pneumonia (lung infection); n Red, brown, pink, or purplish spots on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids; and n Memory loss, depression, and other neurological (brain and spine) problems. If you have any of these symptoms, don’t assume that you’re infected with HIV. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. Source: This information is from the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc. gov/cdc-info/Inquiries.html.
health clinic, or your local hospital. There are also other non-profit testing sites that offer low-cost (or donation-based) testing in your area. The California Department of Health, Office of Aids provides information on testing service locations throughout the state. To find a location near you visit www.cdcnpin.org/ca/ or call 1-800367-2437 (which can provide you information in Spanish). You can also find information on HIV prevention services, as well as HIV care and treatment services at the Office of Aids as well. There are also low- and no-cost options for treatments. The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) allows undocumented workers in California to get treatment for HIV/AIDS even if they aren’t in the country legally. The California AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) was established in 1987 to help ensure that HIV-positive uninsured and under-insured individuals have access to medication.
Voice of the Fields California Circulation: 40,000 copies
www.LaCooperativa.org Published monthly by: La Cooperativa Campesina de California 7801 Folsom Blvd, Suite 365, Sacramento, CA 95826 Phone 916.388.2220 • Fax 916.388.2426 Editor: Marco Lizarraga Produced with the support of the Employment Development Department Voice of the Fields may be reproduced