Parasitic infections among migrant farm families.

The prevalence of parasitic infestation is an indicator of the health, social, and economic conditions within a community. A retrospective study of 422 migrant farmworkers and their families found a prevalence of parasitic infestation of 11.4%. The most significant predictors of infestation were mother's years of schooling (a low level of education was associated with infestation) and the prevalence of other parasitic infections within the family. No significant differences were found between infected and noninfected individuals in country of origin, time residing in the United States, father's years of schooling, sex, or age.