ASSESSING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISCRIMINATION AND HEALTH AMONG MEXICAN IMMIGRANT FARMWORKERS
Open Access
- Author:
- Beachler, Brian
- Area of Honors:
- Biobehavioral Health
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Shedra Amy Snipes, Thesis Supervisor
Shedra Amy Snipes, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Lori Anne Francis, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- discrimination
farmworkers
health - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT Background: Growing evidence indicates that Mexican immigrant farmworkers experience discrimination based upon their ethnicity and foreign-born status. However, little is known about how discrimination impacts farmworkers’ health. Objective: Therefore, this thesis will explore how perceived discrimination shapes the way farmworkers describe their health. Methods: This study analyzed eight open-ended semi-structured interviews of Mexican immigrant farmworkers who lived in Lubbock, Texas. NVivo (QSR International, v7) was used to code and qualitatively analyze the interview transcripts. Responses with the most coding references and most extensive discussion were listed as major themes. Results: The results begin with a case study of a female farmworker, highlighting themes that arose through analysis. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) The primary source of perceived discrimination for farmworkers is their boss; (2) Immigrant status is a significant influence on how farmworkers describe their experiences of discrimination; these characteristics include the ability to speak English, country of birth, and ethnicity; and (3) Farmworkers’ experiences with discrimination are linked with their perceived health. Participants connected discrimination to their health by citing occasions where employers forced farmworkers to work through injury or by suggesting that health care providers were biased against farmworkers. Conclusions: Descriptions of discrimination by farmworkers confirm existing knowledge on how individuals detail the relationship between discrimination and health. Further research is necessary understand what other health effects beyond injuries are related with discrimination among Mexican immigrant farmworkers.