Health problems of migrant farmworkers in Tamaulipas and the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Agricultural wage labour is one of the activities with the highest risks. This article, based on a qualitative methodology that involved conducting in-depth interviews with 23 migrant farmworkers from Veracruz who settled in the citrus-growing region of Tamaulipas, aims to examine the health problems suffered by migrant farmworkers who have settled in this region, and analyze the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the population under study. We concluded that most interviewees suffered from severe back problems due to the heavy loads they must lift. Migrant farmworkers rarely fully recover from injuries at work. Therefore, their health suffers a progressive deterioration. Finally, the high medical expenses derived from COVID-19 have caused migrant farmworkers severe debt problems.