Book Description

"The National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) is an ongoing national survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) with the purpose of collecting data on crop farmworkers. Since its launch in 1988, more than 30,000 workers have been surveyed. In response to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of (IRCA) of 1986, the NAWS was commissioned by the DOL to examine shortages of seasonal agricultural services workers while simultaneously observing wages and working conditions. These purposes have since been expanded and now include data collection on household and family composition, employment history, wages, benefits, working conditions, health and safety, housing, income and assets, social services, and immigration status. The survey also collects demographic information specific to farmworkers such as language ability, contacts in nonagricultural jobs, and parental involvement in agriculture. It occasionally includes questions from other agencies with an interest in migrant and seasonal farmworkers. To ensure that different work seasons are accounted for, the NAWS collects information at three different times of the year. For more information and to order reports, see the DOL NAWS Web site at www.doleta.gov/agworker/naws.cfm. The Occupational Health Supplement was added to the NAWS from October 1998 through September 2002. The NAWS Occupational Health Supplement is a collaborative effort between the DOL and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This collaboration enabled NIOSH to collect health information on a large, nationally representative sample of farmworkers. The NAWS was chosen as the survey in which to include the Occupational Health Supplement because of the innovative methods it uses to reach this population, including the following: 1. The use of culturally literate interviewers appropriate to the population. 2. Enumerating and contacting farmworkers at the worksite. 3. Considering seasonal and geographic employment fluctuations in the design of the sampling plan. The Supplement's main purpose is to obtain national prevalence data on variables related to the occupational health of farmworkers. Topics covered in the occupational health supplement and reported in this document include: 1. Pesticide safety training; 2. Pesticide handling and personal protective equipment; 3. Field sanitation; 4. Musculoskeletal pain or discomfort; 5. Skin conditions; 6. Respiratory symptoms; 7. Gastrointestinal problems; 8. Doctor diagnosed health conditions; 9. Cigarette and alcohol use; 10. Quality of and access to health care." - NIOSHTIC-2