Associations Between PPE provision and Self-Reported Health Among Young Adult Latino/x Farmworkers in Eastern Coachella Valley

• In Event: Latina/o Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Roundtable 4: Health, Embodiment, and Structural Inequality

Abstract

Latino/x farmworkers are disproportionately exposed to multiple occupational and environmental hazards in the workplace, such as toxic pesticide exposure. While Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the last line of defense, it plays a critical role in mitigating risks of pesticide exposure. Despite its importance in protecting farmworkers, many lack appropriate access to personal protective equipment and safety training from their employers. This study investigates the relationship between the adequacy of employer-provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the self-reported health among young adult Latino/x (ages 18-34) in California’s Eastern Coachella Valley. Drawing on data from the Thriving Youth Study (N=185), conducted by the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center (March-May 2024), I estimate ordinal logistic regression models to assess whether adequate employer-provided PPE provision is associated with higher perceived self-reported health. Models control for demographic characteristics, job tenure, training on the risks of pesticide exposure, and reported occupational and environmental-related illnesses. Results from the 4 Ordinal Logistic Regression models (N=185) indicate that adequate employer-provided PPE was the strongest and most consistent predictor of better perceived self-reported health compared to workers who reported receiving inadequate PPE. Moreover, Longer job tenure (>2 years) was consistently associated with poorer health across all models. These findings underscore the importance of employer compliance in mitigating health risks in the workplace. These results also have broader policy implications for stronger enforcement of existing safety standards, such as the provision of PPE and documentation of PPE distribution to ensure employer compliance.

Author

• Mirella Deniz-Zaragoza, University of California-Santa Cruz