Pre- and During COVID-19 Access to Rural Mental Health Care Among Agriculture Communities in the Rocky Mountain Region

Death by suicide is the second leading cause of intentional injury incurred by foreign-born workers in the United States. Hispanic/Latino farmworkers are systematically excluded from important safety net programs. Drawing on interviews with 16 individuals representing various community organizations...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of rural mental health 2024-01, Vol.48 (1), p.64-71
Main Authors: Keeney, Annie J., Ingold, Savannah S., Pena, Anita A., Ciro, Dianne, Rodriguez, Anabel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural Workers
Communities
Female
Health Promotion
Human
Latinos/Latinas
Male
Occupational Health
Occupational Safety
Rural Environments
Treatment Barriers
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Summary:Death by suicide is the second leading cause of intentional injury incurred by foreign-born workers in the United States. Hispanic/Latino farmworkers are systematically excluded from important safety net programs. Drawing on interviews with 16 individuals representing various community organizations serving rural, agriculture-dependent regions in Colorado (n = 9) and Utah (n = 7), we describe Hispanic/Latino farmworkers' access to the mental health safety net in the Rocky Mountain Region during/post-COVID-19 pandemic. Findings inform the need for expanded safety net infrastructure and community collaborations to support farmworkers effectively now and in the case of future pandemics. Public Health Significance Statement The mental health of Hispanic/Latino farmworkers residing in rural regions in the United States is significant and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief report considers the barriers to mental health care access among this disproportionality underserved population and argues that immigration status is a social determinant of health in the United States. Community collaborations to raise awareness and reduce the stigma are necessary to effectively support farmworkers' vast mental health needs in agricultural-dependent, rural communities.
ISSN:1935-942X
2163-8969
DOI:10.1037/rmh0000251