Exploring Living Conditions and Asthma Among Migrant Farmworkers

Migrant farmworkers are exposed to many physical, chemical, and biological hazards that pose human health risks. Quality of housing is a major factor that contributes to asthma disparities around the world; however, no study to date has explored the factors associated with the high rates in this population. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including respiratory infections and asthma. Addressing housing issues offers public health practitioners an opportunity to address an important social determinant of health. Using the Social Ecological Model, the objective of this quantitative, cross-sectional dissertation study is to examine the presence of asthma based on the housing location, overcrowding, and the type of housing among migrant farmworkers. Using the National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) dataset obtained from the United States Department of Labor (DOL), interviews were used to examine demographic, employment, and health data among migrant farmworkers. Logistic regression models were applied to explore the relationship between asthma diagnosis and housing among this population. Results of this dissertation study revealed that there is a relationship between the housing location and the type of housing migrantfarmworkers reside in and asthma.