Illnesses and injuries reported by Latino poultry workers in western North Carolina.
BACKGROUND
Poultry processing is the largest sector of the meat products industry. Many workers are immigrants; few data exist on their illness and injury rates and the impact of workplace safety environment.


METHODS
Survey interviews were conducted with a representative sample of 200 Latino poultry workers employed by three different companies in western North Carolina; topics included symptoms, work-related illnesses and injuries, and plant safety climate.


RESULTS
Most respondents were <35 years of age and had been in the US <10 years. Frequency of self-reported symptoms was high, particularly for musculoskeletal symptoms. Despite symptoms, workers reported not missing work or seeking medical care. Occupational injuries and illnesses and symptoms varied by company. Between-company differences in injury and illness rates were consistent with perceived safety and company provision of personal protective equipment.


CONCLUSIONS
Symptoms reported exceeded rates reported by other community, clinical, and occupational samples. Findings suggest policy changes and research are needed to reduce the high rates of occupational illnesses and injuries in this vulnerable population.
Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1063, USA. squandt@wfubmc.edu
Sara A
SA
Quandt
Joseph G
JG
Grzywacz
Antonio
A
Marín
Lourdes
L
Carrillo
Michael L
ML
Coates
Bless
B
Burke
Thomas A
TA
Arcury
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011200:Poultry; D012449:Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology