Cultural Factors, Migrant Status, and Vulnerability to Increasing Temperatures among Hispanic/Latino Farmworkers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

HighlightsCultural factors and acculturative stressors affect the health and safety behaviors of Hispanic/Latino farmworkers.Cultural factors and stressors also increase their risk of heat-related illnesses (HRIs).Interventions targeting HRIs in this population should account for cultural factors.Abstract. Hispanic/Latino farmworkers have been widely recognized as a particularly vulnerable population in the U.S., with among the lowest levels of income and education in the country. Existing research has identified and explored factors, including cultural and demographic characteristics, that increase the vulnerability of these workers to adverse occupational health and safety outcomes. This review assesses Hispanic/Latino farmworkers’ vulnerability to increasing temperatures and intense heat events, focusing on the role of demographic and cultural factors in heat-related health outcomes. A systematic literature search was conducted using the search terms “heat” and “(Hispanic or Latino) farmworkers” and “health” over the years 2000 to 2020. A total of 348 articles were screened through a title review. The articles included in this review focused on heat-related illnesses (HRIs) and related symptoms among the population of interest. Hispanic/Latino workers were at heightened risk of HRI symptoms as a result of their work environments, working conditions, acculturative stressors, and other cultural factors. Keywords: Farmworkers, Heat-related illness, Hispanic, Latino.