Dairy is Different: Latino Dairy Worker Stress in Vermont

An ethnographic study of a community dentistry network serving Latine migrant farmworkers in Vermont: Barriers and access to care during the COVID‐19 pandemic and beyond

“…17 for debilitating stress and are more concerned about immigration enforcement than respondents in any study to use the MFWSI before. 19 This finding resonates with reporting by Migrant Justice/ Justicia Migrante, 20 the Vermont-based organization for economic justice and human rights founded in 2009.…”

“…Increased use of bilingual digital consultations has been similarly recommended in the area of farm safety training in Vermont. 19 Our findings show that effective delivery requires a holistic approach (educational, therapeutic, financial, organizational), and one that accounts not only for the cost of investing in expanded, low-cost service delivery (including the purchase of expensive dental equipment) and expanded clinic-to-farm outreach, but also the creative use of interpreters and providers to design and convey relatable health messages. Given interviewees' support for culturally responsive education and care, in combination with the effectiveness of promotora-led oral health elsewhere in the US, 38,39 further research on the role of culturally trained providers would be valuable.…”

“…Creating a triangulated approach (farm visits, telemedicine, in‐clinic treatment) would potentially help mitigate transportation and scheduling barriers and worker concerns about immigration surveillance. Increased use of bilingual digital consultations has been similarly recommended in the area of farm safety training in Vermont 19 …”

“…Most large farms in Vermont employ workers from Mexico and Central American countries, reflecting a trend in the US dairy industry since 2000. Despite this, research on dairy workers is scarce 18,19 . Baker et al were the first to use the Migrant Farmworker Stress Inventory (MFWSI) to assess mental and physical health among dairy workers in Vermont and found that one‐third of farmworkers are at risk for debilitating stress and are more concerned about immigration enforcement than respondents in any study to use the MFWSI before 19 .…”

“…Despite this, research on dairy workers is scarce 18,19 . Baker et al were the first to use the Migrant Farmworker Stress Inventory (MFWSI) to assess mental and physical health among dairy workers in Vermont and found that one‐third of farmworkers are at risk for debilitating stress and are more concerned about immigration enforcement than respondents in any study to use the MFWSI before 19 . This finding resonates with reporting by Migrant Justice/Justicia Migrante, 20 the Vermont‐based organization for economic justice and human rights founded in 2009.…”