January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month

It’s important to reflect on the present occupational health risks that agricultural workers face. Higher exposure to pesticides can be a direct cause to certain types of cancer in agricultural workers. But because Ag workers often do not want to “complain” about health issues, preventative measures are ignored.
 
Agricultural workers face extraordinary occupational health risks. According to Farmworker Justice; a member, along with NCFH, of the Farmworker Health Network, some of those occupational risks include but are not limited to:
Lack of adequate drinking water and toilet facilities, Musculoskeletal injuries from lengthy stooping, lifting, and cutting Farm machinery and equipment, including tractors, ladders and sharp tools Exposure to pesticides Exposure to extreme weather conditions  

Of these occupational health risks, there is one that directly correlates to agricultural workers developing a higher risk of cancer; exposure to pesticides.
 
Within the Agricultural Health Study researchers evaluated 20 pesticides to see whether or not they had a direct correlation to one’s risk of developing cancer; some of the analyses confirmed that certain pesticides do increase a worker’s risk of developing certain cancers.
 
Hispanic women have a 1 in 95 chance of developing cervical cancer within their lifetime. Because of certain cultural beliefs and taboos around women’s health, often times women do not seek the preventative care available to them prior to a positive diagnosis.
 
The National Center for Farmworker Health has created tools to assist Community Health Workers, staff of Migrant and Community Health Centers, and clinicians, to better educate Latino and Agricultural Worker families on preventative ways to detect cervical cancer.
 
Along with this short digital story on the Pap Test, NCFH offers the Cultivando la Salud for CHWs and M/CHCs; the two products work together to further health education on cervical cancer

For a comprehensive list of Migrant Health Centers please see out Migrant Health Center List and contact one for your preventative care needs. Resources on cervical cancer in Ag worker and Hispanic populations can be found in our digital library.