title: Undocumented status as a social determinant of occupational safety and health: The workers' perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Undocumented immigration to the United States has grown dramatically over the past 25 years. This study explores undocumented status as a social determinant of occupational health by examining its perceived consequences on workplace safety of Latino immigrants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Guided by the Theory of Work Adjustment, qualitative analysis was conducted on transcripts from focus groups and individual interviews conducted with a convenience sample of Latino immigrant workers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reported that unauthorized status negatively impacted their safety at work and resulted in a degree of alienation that exceeded the specific proscriptions of the law. Participants overwhelming used a strategy of disengagement to cope with the challenges they face as undocumented immigrants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study describes the complex web of consequences resulting from undocumented status and its impact on occupational health. This study presents a framework connecting the daily work experiences of immigrants, the coping strategy of disengagement, and efforts to minimize the impact of structural violence.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Education and Information Division, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Education and Information Division, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Eggerth
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.|Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: C Jeffrey
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jacobson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D060389:Construction Industry; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012449:Safety; D000069756:Undocumented Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: coping strategies; disengagement; immigrant workers; latino health; occupational safety and health; social determinates of health; structural violence; theory of work adjustment; undocumented status