Common skin disorders seen in the migrant farmworker health care clinic setting

• Published in: Journal of agromedicine Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 71 - 79
• Main Authors: Hinckley, M, Feldman, S.R, Fleischer, A.B. Jr, Vallejos, Q.M, Whalley, L.E, Quandt, S.A, Heck, J, Cabral, G, Brooks, T, Schulz, M.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis Group 2007
• Subjects: Agricultural Workers' Diseases - classification; Agricultural Workers' Diseases - diagnosis; Agricultural Workers' Diseases - epidemiology; Agriculture - manpower; case studies; cost analysis; drugs; Emigrants and Immigrants; Female; health insurance; Health Services Needs and Demand; Humans; Male; medical treatment; migrant workers; occupational exposure; primary care; rural; Rural Health; rural health care; Skin disease; skin diseases; Skin Diseases - classification; Skin Diseases - diagnosis; Skin Diseases - epidemiology; Transients and Migrants - statistics & numerical data; treatment; underserved; North Carolina; USA, North Carolina
• ISSN: 1059-924X; 1545-0813
• DOI: 10.1080/10599240801986272

Background: Skin diseases are common occupational illnesses for farmworkers. Migrant farmworkers commonly access rural health clinics for diagnosis and treatment of skin disease. Purpose: To assess common skin conditions of migrant farmworkers treated in rural clinics and to describe effective and economic management of these conditions. Methods: Seventy-nine farmworkers with a skin condition were seen as patients at 4 clinics in eastern North Carolina. A list of the most common conditions encountered was compiled and treatment methods were found in the literature. Results: Twenty-three common conditions were identified. The most common conditions were contact dermatitis, melasma, tinea, seborrheic keratoses, and impetigo. A table of treatment recommendations was composed that can be used by clinicians in this setting. Conclusions: Generally, the most common skin conditions seen in the migrant farmworker population in eastern North Carolina are similar to conditions found in the general population.