1. “Access to Health Care among Female Mixtec farmworkers of the Central Coast of California, United States”
Lourdes Camarena-Ojinaga
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
Christine von Glascoe
El Colegio de la Frontera Norte

2. In Ventura County, 60-70% of all agricultural workers are from indigenous populations from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca
We are presenting an exploratory study on health conditions of undocumented female mixtec farmworkers in an agricultural valley of the central coast of California, were 60-70% of all agricultural workers are from indigenous populations from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Approximately 20,000 farmworkers are of Mixtec origin. The migration and incorporation of female Mixtec's to agricultural work has increased over the past 15 years

3. Oxnard, California
The state of California produces about 350 agricultural products such as vegetables, fruits and nuts. It also produces 90% of the strawberries in the country

4. Between one-third and half of all agricultural workers in the US reside in California.
Approximately 75% of the agricultural workers in the state of California are undocumented.

5. Working Conditions
In the US, agricultural work constitutes one of the most unprotected and dangerous types of work. Farmworkers have fewer legal protections than other types of workers regarding minimum wage, medical coverage and the right to organize, etc.

6. Agricultural workers suffer unjust labor practices regarding overtime pay and rest breaks, as well as lack of access to workers compensation and unemployment insurance.

7. In addition to poor conditions in the workplace, farmworker communities are characterized by:
Low educational levels
Poor housing conditions
Reduced public health services.

8. Group interviews of 12 women Participative workshops
THE STUDY
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Group interviews of 12 women
Participative workshops

9. Average education: 4 years All migrated from Oaxaca
OBJECTIVE
To describe the working conditions and access to health care of female Mixtec farmworkers.
GROUP STUDIED:
Average age: 34 years
Average education: 4 years
All migrated from Oaxaca
Average age at migration: 13 years
All speak Spanish and an indigenous language

10. PRELIMINARY RESULTS Health Conditions
Few employers insure their workers.
Most workers only qualify for emergency care if they have children born here.
Medical care self paid
Medical attention supplemented by charity organizations
Hospital emergency rooms required to provide screening examinations to anyone seeking treatment for a medical condition regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay
Health Conditions
Sprains
Back pain
Tiredness
Poor bathroom hygiene
Non- potable drinking water
Burnout
Sunstroke
Low access to health care

11. CONCLUSIONS
This group is characterized by poverty, malnutrition, pesticide exposure, discrimination and limited access to health care.
Many do not know their labor or health care rights.
Female indigenous migrant farmworkers, far from experiencing economic wellbeing from working, are led to continued poverty and in the worst cases, a descending spiral of precariousness.

12. The scarce possibility they have to express their inconformity with labor relations, first because they are unauthorized immigrants in a foreign country, and second because they are ignorant of their rights, and due to the power and control exercised over them by administrators and supervisors of the agricultural fields where these women work.
Social relations are asymmetrical and the female Mixtec farmworkers are invisible, situating them in a condition of social vulnerability.

13. …the worst thing about doing this work is when they know that a person knows their rights.
They don’t like that; what they want is that we don’t know our rights because they see that as us against them.
They want us to remain ignorant.