Experiences of Women Farmworkers in Michigan: Perspectives from the Michigan Farmworker Project

Details

• Personal Author:
  Handal AJ ; Iglesias-Rios L ; O'Neill MS ; Valentín-Cortés MA
• Description:
  Agricultural work presents significant physical and social challenges globally and in the United States, with women farmworkers facing unique risks that remain underexplored. This study examines the social and occupational hazards confronted by women farmworkers in Michigan using data from the Michigan Farmworker Project. In-depth interviews with farmworkers were thematically analyzed. Results highlight five main dimensions of working and living conditions: gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, reproductive health concerns, pregnancy challenges, and work-life balance issues. Women and men participants (n = 35; average age of 42 years; 57% women) reported hazardous and exploitative conditions including sexual harassment, chemical exposures, and challenges with proper hygiene and sanitation-especially during menstruation-including lack of bathroom access and other problems leading to urinary tract infections. Participants discussed pregnancy-specific concerns and concerns regarding work-life balance and childcare (i.e., insufficient time for family, challenges with coordination of childcare). Findings underscore the need for policies to address these disparities, especially for single women farmworkers. Interventions and policies informed by this study can improve the well-being of women workers and their families in agricultural settings. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Farmers Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Pregnancy Safety Urogenital System Women
• Keywords:
  Agricultural Workers Author Keywords: Community-based Participatory Research Community Based Environmental Justice Farm Workers Farmworkers Occupational Exposure Occupational Exposures Occupational Psychology Pregnancy Outcomes Reproductive Health Work-life Balance

  More +
• ISSN:
  0091-0562
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Chicago Region [OSHA] ; Michigan
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070500
• Citation:
  Am J Community Psychol 2025 Feb; :[Epub ahead of print]
• Contact Point Address:
  Alexis J. Handal, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Room 6622, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA
• Email:
  ahandal@umich.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Performing Organization:
  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Community Psychology
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7131753bfc1ece94b51f6e806ca107bc6b8f96d680c5894856003684f75cf9d41453a419e4d6474b48a6ab2c9b611f477af825e1b096e57a8a65f37804795847
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208698/cdc_208698_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.29 MB ]