Marginalisation, discrimination and the health of Latino immigrant day labourers in a central North Carolina community

Abstract

The morbidity and mortality of Latino immigrants in the United States (US) stem from a complex mix of policy, culture, discrimination, and economics. Immigrants working as day labourers may be particularly vulnerable to the negative influences of these social factors due to limited access to social, financial, and legal resources. We aimed to understand how the health of male Latino day labourers in North Carolina, US is influenced by their experiences interacting with their community and perceptions of their social environment. To respond to our research questions, we conducted three focus groups (n=9, n =10, n=10) and a photovoice project (n=5) with Latino male immigrants between October 2013 and March 2014. We conducted a thematic analysis of transcripts from the discussions in the focus groups and the group of Photovoice participants. We found that men's health and well-being were primarily shaped by their experiences and feelings of discrimination and marginalization. We identified three main links between discrimination/marginalization and poor health: (1) dangerous work resulted in workplace injuries or illnesses, (2) unsteady employment caused stress, anxiety and insufficient funds for health care, and (3) exclusionary policies and treatment resulted in limited healthcare accessibility. Health promotion with Latino immigrant men in new settlement areas could benefit from community-building activities, addressing discrimination, augmenting the reach of formal health care, and building upon the informal mechanisms that immigrants rely on to meet their health needs. Reforms to immigration and labour policies are also essential to addressing these structural barriers to health for these men.

State-level immigration and immigrant-focused policies as drivers of Latino health disparities in the United States

“…This puts agricultural workers at disproportionate risk of being unable to secure care if they experience a work-related accident. We found no empirical research examining the impact of state E-Verify, minimum wage, overtime, and worker’s compensation provisions on immigrant or Latino health; however, research among Latino immigrants in North Carolina found that the discrimination and marginalization resulting from dangerous working conditions and unsteady employment affected men’s health and wellbeing (Fleming et al, 2016). In addition, poverty-focused research clearly demonstrates that income and material resources have a critical impact on health (Alaimo et al, 2001; Ettner, 1996) and other work has shown that workers’ compensation positively affects self-reported health among injured workers (Lippel, 2007).…”

Marginalization: Conceptualizing patient vulnerabilities in the framework of social determinants of health—An integrative review

“…Disparities in marginality among individuals partly explain differences in health and the quality of life among Americans (Havranek et al., ). For instance, evidence suggests that both the experience and the perception of marginalization are linked to poor health through stress, anxiety, depression, occupational injuries, and limited access to health care services (Fleming, Villa‐Torres, Taboada, Richards, & Barrington, ). Therefore, the reduction of health disparities to promote health equity requires researchers and clinicians to conceptualize patient vulnerabilities in the framework of their personal needs and daily realities.…”

Barriers & facilitators to healthcare and social services among undocumented Latino(a)/Latinx immigrant clients: Perspectives from frontline service providers in Southeast Michigan

“…The potentially detrimental health effects of immigration-and enforcement-related omnibus laws on undocumented immigrants are exacerbated by policies related to labor and employment, education, and driver's licenses. Restricted access to labor markets and experiences with unjust and unfair working conditions have been shown to not only reduce material well-being but also to exacerbate feelings of exclusion and isolation [7]. Legislation that restricts access to education for undocumented immigrants may also have detrimental consequences for social and economic mobility, as well as deleterious long-term health effects, by hindering access to opportunities and resources that promote positive downstream health outcomes [8].…”