title: Immigrant dairy workers' perceptions of health and safety on the farm in America's Heartland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dairy farming is dangerous. Yearly, farms grow fewer and larger by employing immigrant workers, who have limited industrial agriculture experience and safety and health training.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined results of five focus groups with 37 Hispanic, immigrant dairy workers. Analysis followed a grounded theory approach and employed ATLAS.ti.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reported injury experience affirmed the hazardous nature of dairy. Some workers received appropriate worker compensation benefits, whereas others were instructed to deny work-relatedness. Some employers covered medical injury costs out-of-pocket, whereas others did not. Cows were a major injury source. Pressure to work and weather were noted as injury risk factors. Worker compensation was poorly understood, and immigration status and fear of deportation influenced injury and hazard reporting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Injury management practices range from benevolent to threatening. Workers compensation is poorly understood and undocumented status is an occupational hazard. We underscore the need for further research and immigration policy change.
authors.affiliation: Migrant Clinicians Network, Salisbury, Maryland.
authors.forename: Amy King
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Liebman
authors.affiliation: Center for Inter-American & Border Studies, University of Texas-El Paso, El Paso, Texas.
authors.forename: Patricia Margarita
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Juarez-Carrillo
authors.affiliation: National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Iris Anne Cruz
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Matthew Charles
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Keifer
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003612:Dairying; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D000072480:Farms; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D066296:Grounded Theory; D006166:Guatemala / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D016272:Occupational Health; D060051:Occupational Injuries; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management; D014481:United States; D014922:Wisconsin; D014942:Workers' Compensation
keywords: farm worker; immigrant; injuries; occupational health and safety; workers compensation