Social Vulnerabilities Among Hired Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers During COVID-19: The Need for Employment-Based Indicators

Details

• Personal Author:
  Forst LS ; Gusto C ; Martin MC ; Monaghan P ; Morera MC ; Perez Orozco J ; Tovar-Aguilar JA
• Description:
  Objectives: This study aimed to explore farmworkers' experiences of social vulnerability during the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Telephone surveys of 63 migrant and seasonal farmworkers across three major agricultural areas in Florida were conducted. The survey, designed and disseminated with critical support from a statewide farmworker membership and advocacy organization, included items related to social and occupational precarity and a suite of demographic conditions, including specific employment-based indicators and categories. Data were analyzed with SPSS using a series of statistical significance tests including Pearson's Chi-Square, Fisher's Exact, T-tests, and Mann-Whitney U. An open-ended question regarding employment precarity was also analyzed for frequencies of responses pertaining to a set of descriptive categories. Results: Survey findings demonstrated a high degree of social vulnerability among the farmworker sample, with notable variation in the type and severity of vulnerability and risk exposure across employment-based indicators and occupational categories. For example, a cross-industry comparison between vegetable field workers and greenhouse nursery workers revealed a disparity in COVID-exposure risk through commuting characteristics, as 43% of vegetable field workers used shared, employer-provided transport, while 68% of nursery workers used personal vehicles. Conclusion: While previous research has broadly established the extreme precarity of migrant and seasonal farmworkers during the peak COVID-19 period, the variability of experience, exposure to risk, and social vulnerability between farmworkers representing distinct employment-based indicators and occupational categories demonstrated in this study contributes to widening awareness of the importance of assessing farmworker experiences at a more granular level. In addition to delineating social vulnerability across key demographic categories, cross-industry comparisons between farmworkers revealed significant discrepancies in risk and vulnerability to COVID-19. Future research that further explores this variability may reveal opportunities to improve disaster-relief planning and mitigate social vulnerability in future disaster scenarios. The importance of surveying the vulnerability of worker populations, aside from geographic communities, is highlighted. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Communicable Diseases Emigration And Immigration Farmers Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: COVID-19 COVID-19 Essential Workers Farm Workers Hired Migrant And Seasonal Farmworkers Migrant Workers Occupational Health Disparities Pandemic Precarious Work Seasonal Workers Social Vulnerability

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• ISSN:
  1059-924X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Atlanta Region [OSHA] ; Birmingham Region [OSHA] ; Chicago Region [OSHA] ; Florida ; Illinois
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  29
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070014
• Citation:
  J Agromedicine 2024 Oct; 29(4):701-711
• Contact Point Address:
  Paul Monaghan, Department of Agricultural Education and Communication University of Florida, 213 Rolfs Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611
• Email:
  paulf@ufl.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Florida, Gainesville
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20160930
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Agromedicine
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:520e3d0067ff896fb025384bdbaa3aefe0a91e5d6016d6a90decbfc8cf8e867152c2a639f9705d115f8eb6e827f6b5f65deff67cd1f6ece6932a0f53a3ca7474
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208323/cdc_208323_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 884.66 KB ]