Cooking and Eating Facilities in Migrant Farmworker Housing in North Carolina

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2013 Jan 19

PMID 23327274

Citations 17

Authors

Sara A Quandt

Phillip Summers

Werner E Bischoff

Haiying Chen

Melinda F Wiggins

Chaya R Spears

Thomas A Arcury

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to (1) describe observed cooking and eating facilities in migrant farmworker camps, (2) compare observed conditions with existing farmworker housing regulations, and (3) examine associations of violations with camp characteristics.

Methods: We collected data in 182 farmworker camps in eastern North Carolina during the 2010 agricultural season. We compared our observations with 15 kitchen-related housing regulations specified by federal and state housing standards.

Results: We observed violations of 8 regulations in at least 10% of camps: improper refrigerator temperature (65.5%), cockroach infestation (45.9%), contaminated water (34.4%), rodent infestation (28.9%), improper flooring (25.8%), unsanitary conditions (21.2%), improper fire extinguisher (19.9%), and holes or leaks in walls (12.1%). Logistic regression showed that violations were related to the time of the agricultural season, housing type, number of dwellings and residents, and presence of workers with H-2A visas.

Conclusions: Cooking and eating facilities for migrant farmworkers fail to comply with regulations in a substantial number of camps. Greater enforcement of regulations, particularly during occupancy during the agricultural season, is needed to protect farmworkers.

Citing Articles

Advancing the Health of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in the United States: Identifying Gaps in the Existing Literature, 2021.

Bloss J, LePrevost C, Zahra A, Firnhaber G, Cofie L, Zepeda R Health Promot Pract. 2021; 23(3):432-444.

PMID: 34549654 PMC: 9096586. DOI: 10.1177/15248399211033308.

Engaging Youth Advocates in Community-Based Participatory Research on Child Farmworker Health in North Carolina.

Arnold T, Malki A, Leyva J, Ibarra J, Daniel S, Ballard P Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2019; 13(2):191-199.

PMID: 31178454 PMC: 6559374. DOI: 10.1353/cpr.2019.0019.

Migrant Farmworker Nutritional Strategies: Implications for Diabetes Management.

Quandt S, Groeschel-Johnson A, Kinzer H, Jensen A, Miles K, OHara H J Agromedicine. 2018; 23(4):347-354.

PMID: 30230432 PMC: 6149220. DOI: 10.1080/1059924X.2018.1501453.

Using "Policy Briefs" to Present Scientific Results of CBPR: Farmworkers in North Carolina.

Arcury T, Wiggins M, Brooke C, Jensen A, Summers P, Mora D Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2017; 11(2):137-147.

PMID: 28736406 PMC: 6262882. DOI: 10.1353/cpr.2017.0018.

Stability of Household and Housing Characteristics Among Farmworker Families in North Carolina: Implications for Health.

Arcury T, Trejo G, Suerken C, Ip E, Quandt S J Immigr Minor Health. 2016; 19(2):398-406.

PMID: 26856879 PMC: 4977209. DOI: 10.1007/s10903-016-0369-3.

References

Arcury T, Quandt S, Austin C, Preisser J, Cabrera L . Implementation of EPA's Worker Protection Standard training for agricultural laborers: an evaluation using North Carolina data. Public Health Rep. 1999; 114(5):459-68. PMC: 1308518. DOI: 10.1093/phr/114.5.459. View

Bechtel G . Parasitic infections among migrant farm families. J Community Health Nurs. 1998; 15(1):1-7. DOI: 10.1207/s15327655jchn1501_1. View

Robinson E, Nguyen H, Isom S, Quandt S, Grzywacz J, Chen H . Wages, wage violations, and pesticide safety experienced by migrant farmworkers in North Carolina. New Solut. 2011; 21(2):251-68. PMC: 3291018. DOI: 10.2190/NS.21.2.h. View

Bischoff W, Weir M, Summers P, Chen H, Quandt S, Liebman A . The quality of drinking water in North Carolina farmworker camps. Am J Public Health. 2012; 102(10):e49-54. PMC: 3490648. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300738. View

Bigelow P, Buchan R . Assessment of occupational health and safety risks of farmworkers in Colorado. Am J Ind Med. 2002; Suppl 2:19-27. DOI: 10.1002/ajim.10064. View

Flocks J, Burns A . Stakeholder analysis of Florida farmworker housing. J Agromedicine. 2006; 11(1):59-67. DOI: 10.1300/J096v11n01_07. View

Gentry A, Grzywacz J, Quandt S, Davis S, Arcury T . Housing quality among North Carolina farmworker families. J Agric Saf Health. 2007; 13(3):323-37. DOI: 10.13031/2013.23355. View

Whalley L, Grzywacz J, Quandt S, Vallejos Q, Walkup M, Chen H . Migrant farmworker field and camp safety and sanitation in eastern North Carolina. J Agromedicine. 2009; 14(4):421-36. PMC: 2774916. DOI: 10.1080/10599240903389508. View

Arcury T, Weir M, Chen H, Summers P, Pelletier L, Galvan L . Migrant farmworker housing regulation violations in North Carolina. Am J Ind Med. 2012; 55(3):191-204. PMC: 3708262. DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22011. View

10.

Quandt S, Chen H, Grzywacz J, Vallejos Q, Galvan L, Arcury T . Cholinesterase depression and its association with pesticide exposure across the agricultural season among Latino farmworkers in North Carolina. Environ Health Perspect. 2010; 118(5):635-9. PMC: 2866678. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0901492. View

11.

Mirabelli M, Hoppin J, Chatterjee A, Isom S, Chen H, Grzywacz J . Job activities and respiratory symptoms among farmworkers in North Carolina. Arch Environ Occup Health. 2011; 66(3):178-82. PMC: 3162367. DOI: 10.1080/19338244.2010.539637. View

12.

Newell D, Koopmans M, Verhoef L, Duizer E, Aidara-Kane A, Sprong H . Food-borne diseases - the challenges of 20 years ago still persist while new ones continue to emerge. Int J Food Microbiol. 2010; 139 Suppl 1:S3-15. PMC: 7132498. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2010.01.021. View

13.

Russell M, Correa M, Stauber C, Kase J . North Carolina Hispanic farmworkers and intestinal parasitism: a pilot study of prevalence and health-related practices, and potential means of foodborne transmission. J Food Prot. 2010; 73(5):985-8. DOI: 10.4315/0362-028x-73.5.985. View

14.

Feldman R, Baine W, Nitzkin J, SASLAW M, Pollard Jr R . Epidemiology of Salmonella typhi infection in a migrant labor camp in Dade County, Floida. J Infect Dis. 1974; 130(4):335-42. View

15.

Arbab D, Weidner B . Infectious diseases and field water supply and sanitation among migrant farm workers. Am J Public Health. 1986; 76(6):694-5. PMC: 1646772. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.76.6.694. View

16.

Ciesielski S, Handzel T, Sobsey M . The microbiologic quality of drinking water in North Carolina migrant labor camps. Am J Public Health. 1991; 81(6):762-4. PMC: 1405149. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.81.6.762. View

17.

Shaw M . Housing and public health. Annu Rev Public Health. 2004; 25:397-418. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.25.101802.123036. View

18.

Early J, Davis S, Quandt S, Rao P, Snively B, Arcury T . Housing characteristics of farmworker families in North Carolina. J Immigr Minor Health. 2006; 8(2):173-84. DOI: 10.1007/s10903-006-8525-1. View

19.

Quandt S, Shoaf J, Tapia J, Hernandez-Pelletier M, Clark H, Arcury T . Experiences of Latino immigrant families in North Carolina help explain elevated levels of food insecurity and hunger. J Nutr. 2006; 136(10):2638-44. PMC: 1626531. DOI: 10.1093/jn/136.10.2638. View

20.

Vallejos Q, Quandt S, Grzywacz J, Isom S, Chen H, Galvan L . Migrant farmworkers' housing conditions across an agricultural season in North Carolina. Am J Ind Med. 2011; 54(7):533-44. PMC: 3106132. DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20945. View