Department of Public Health and Environmental Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States of America.
School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2022 Aug 17;17(8):e0272911. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272911. eCollection 2022.
Policies that restrict access to and use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) by legal status may disproportionately disadvantage particular racial and ethnic groups. While immigrant legal status, race, and ethnicity are recognized as independent social determinants of health, studies examining the extent to which legal status structures racial and ethnic health disparities are limited. Research is needed to identify factors that mitigate disparate health outcomes, such as SNAP and WIC.
Cross-sectional data from the 2009/2010 National Agricultural Workers Survey (N = 3,961) were analyzed. Chi-square tests and logistic regressions examined associations among self-reported health, race, ethnicity, legal status, and SNAP/WIC participation.
Farmworkers reporting excellent or good health were more likely to be non-Hispanic White, U.S. citizen, aged 18-25, single, male, educated beyond primary school, living above the poverty level, without chronic health conditions, and located in the Midwest. Hispanic farmworkers had lower odds of reporting excellent or good health (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.12-0.62). Among SNAP/WIC participants, Hispanic farmworkers had higher odds of reporting excellent or good health (OR 6.74, 95% CI 1.54-29.57) compared to non-Hispanic White farmworkers. There was no significant association between self-reported health and legal status.
This study complements the extant literature showing racial and ethnic health disparities among the U.S. farmworker population. Results provide valuable insight on the health-protective potential of programs like SNAP and WIC, particularly among Hispanic farmworkers, who may be both less likely to be eligible and more hesitant to participate. These findings underscore the need to expand U.S. farmworkers' eligibility and participation in SNAP and WIC.
通过法律地位限制补充营养援助计划 (SNAP) 和妇女、婴儿和儿童特别补充营养援助计划 (WIC) 的获取和使用的政策可能会不成比例地使特定种族和族裔群体处于不利地位。虽然移民法律地位、种族和族裔被认为是独立的健康社会决定因素，但研究表明，法律地位结构种族和族裔健康差距的程度有限。需要研究确定减轻差异健康结果的因素，例如 SNAP 和 WIC。
对 2009/2010 年全国农业工人调查 (N = 3961) 的横断面数据进行了分析。卡方检验和逻辑回归检验了自我报告的健康状况、种族、族裔、法律地位和 SNAP/WIC 参与之间的关联。
报告健康状况极佳或良好的农场工人更有可能是非西班牙裔白人、美国公民、年龄在 18-25 岁之间、单身、男性、受过小学以上教育、生活在贫困线以上、没有慢性健康状况且位于中西部地区。西班牙裔农场工人报告健康状况极佳或良好的可能性较低（OR 0.27，95%CI 0.12-0.62）。在 SNAP/WIC 参与者中，与非西班牙裔白人农场工人相比，西班牙裔农场工人报告健康状况极佳或良好的可能性更高（OR 6.74，95%CI 1.54-29.57）。自我报告的健康状况与法律地位之间没有显著关联。
本研究补充了现有的文献，表明美国农业工人群体中存在种族和族裔健康差距。结果提供了有关 SNAP 和 WIC 等计划的健康保护潜力的宝贵见解，特别是在西班牙裔农场工人中，他们可能既不太符合条件，也更不愿意参与。这些发现强调了扩大美国农场工人在 SNAP 和 WIC 中的资格和参与的必要性。
