American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) from the American Public Health Association (APHA) “Essential” but Expendable: Farmworkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic—The Michigan Farmworker Project, an article from American Journal of Public Health, Vol 110 Issue 12

Precarious employment is an important social determinant of health inequities. Through in-depth qualitative interviews ( n = 35), we examine precarious employment and labor exploitation, their potential impact on the working environment, and, ultimately, the health of farmworkers. We present results from the community-based participatory Michigan Farmworker Project. Our analysis identified dimensions of precarious employment and labor exploitation that involved lacking access to fundamental labor and social rights—including dehumanization—discriminatory occupational practices, and insufficient access to health care and social benefits. Policy reform is needed to address precarious employment and labor exploitation among farmworkers due to their potential long-lasting health effects.

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.

Migration processes encompass uncertainty, discrimination, racism, stigma, social isolation, lack of access to resources, fear of deportation, and family separation, having a critical impact on the health of Latinx/@ immigrants in the United States. It is essential to accurately measure the ways in which social, legal, economic, and political contexts impact mental health. This article discusses adaptation and use of discrimination and historical loss measures in a multilevel community-based advocacy, learning, and social support intervention (Immigrant Well-Being Project) with Latinx/@ immigrants in New Mexico, using participatory research approaches. Participants (n = 52) were recruited through community partner organizations and completed four qualitative and quantitative interviews over a 12-month period. The present analysis draws on the baseline quantitative data. Results show it is possible to adapt standardized measures of discrimination developed to assess the experiences of other racial/ethnic groups; however, the most common responses involved response options added by our research team. For the historical loss instrument, there was a high frequency of "never" answers for many items, suggesting that they were not relevant for participants or did not capture their experiences of loss. As with the discrimination measures, the items we added resonated the most with participants. The contexts of discrimination and loss for Latinx/@ immigrant populations are complex, thus the tools we use to measure these experiences and their impact on health must account for this complexity. This study contributes to these endeavors through involving community members in the conceptualization and measurement of discrimination and historical loss among Latinx/@ immigrants. Public Policy Relevance Statement Latinx/@ immigrants comprise a heterogeneous population with diverse backgrounds and social-cultural-political contexts that affect their experiences in the United States. Understanding this complexity and its impact on health and health disparities requires accurate measurement of Latinx/@ immigrants' experiences. This study contributes to these efforts through the adaptation of measures of discrimination and historical loss, which can improve researchers' abilities to inform more sustainable and effective health promotion policies. Policies must reflect lived experiences more accurately to have meaningful and sustainable impacts.

Farmworkers are among the most underserved and marginalized populations of workers despite their essential role in the U.S. food supply chain. The Michigan Farmworker Project (MFP) evolved as a collaborative, community-based participatory project among state and regional service entities, legal service organizations, and the university. The overarching goal of the project was to study the relationship of precarious working conditions and labor exploitation with occupational and environmental health inequities and social justice for farmworkers in Michigan. We employed critical race theory and community-based participatory research approaches to guide the development and implementation of the MFP. We describe the development of the participatory process with community partners and discuss implementation challenges and lessons learned from the field. Throughout the research, we reflect on how farmworkers’ social and working environment goes beyond precarity, revealing labor exploitation as an important deterrent of farmworker health and well-being. Despite entrenched systems of structural oppression, farmworkers contribute to and improve our society with their rich cultural backgrounds, their work, and their resilience. The diverse composition of this community-university partnership amplified collaboration, enriched our understanding of the role of precarity and labor exploitation among farmworkers, and contributed to the study’s success. The MFP will continue strengthening the community-university partnership with the goal of continuing to address health inequities in the farmworker population.