Leaving family for work: ambivalence and mental health among Mexican migrant farmworker men

Details

• Personal Author:
  Arcury TA ; Early J ; Graham CN ; Grzywacz JG ; Quandt SA ; Tapia J
• Description:
  Men migrating to the United States from Mexico and Central America confront opposing family norms. They need to leave their families to gain family economic security; yet, leaving renders their families vulnerable. We examined the mental health implications of the opposing family norms inherent in migration using an ambivalence framework. We interviewed 60 Latino migrant farmworkers working in North Carolina. Most were from Mexico; each had left a wife and children in his country of origin. Analysis indicated that family ambivalence was common. Ambivalence was associated with anxiety symptoms (but not depression or alcohol dependence), especially among men who were unable to contact their families regularly. Results show the usefulness of the ambivalence framework, and suggest that the origins of poor migrant mental health may reside in circumstances preceding migration. Study recommendations include facilitating family contact by expanding access to telephones among migrant workers. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Demography Farmers Mental Health Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Agricultural-chemicals Agricultural-industry Agricultural-workers Author Keywords: Immigration Demographic-characteristics Family Farmworker Mental-health Mental Health Minority Health Statistical-analysis

  More +
• ISSN:
  1557-1912
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  North Carolina ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  85-97
• Volume:
  8
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20038329
• Citation:
  J Immigr Minor Health 2006 Jan; 8(1):85-97
• Contact Point Address:
  Joseph G. Grzywacz, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston- Salem, North Carolina 27157-1084
• Email:
  grzywacz@wfubmc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• Performing Organization:
  Wake Forest University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
• End Date:
  20050929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b2b0cf8baea65e21b5b26618d76381dde5681dc887c14574ea2cc47d525cbe5e9f667556a71852da4d5b177bc13da3389bb74389c5e12bb7809860b9b662a4c3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/192072/cdc_192072_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 181.83 KB ]