Why treat migrant farm workers?
• There are more than 100,000 migrant and seasonal farm workers in Georgia. • Migrant and seasonal farm workers are a vulnerable group with unique and more complex health problems than the general population. • Migrant farm workers are a vital part of Georgia’s agriculture; they harvest crops in the field and work in packing plants. • The workers have little or no access to preventive health care. • Factors contributing to poor health of migrant farm workers include: repetitive and physical demands of their jobs; exposure to pesticide; a pay rate of less than minimum wage; and substandard housing and communal living situations. • Dental disease is the primary health problem for migrant patients ages 10-14. The infant mortality rate for this population is 25 percent higher than the national average. • The parasitic infection rate is 50 times that of the general U.S. population. • The average life expectancy is 49 years for this population. Why does Georgia State University provide this
