Migrant agricultural workers suffer from health problems and barriers to accessing healthcare services

Migrant agricultural workers suffer health problems resulting from working conditions and barriers to accessing healthcare services, This is the conclusion of two recent studies that form part of the AGROMISALUD project led by the GReCS group at the Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (IRBLleida) and the University of Lleida (UdL), with the aim of analysing how the living and working conditions of these workers determine their health. The articles are based on 92 interviews with health professionals, social services, civil organisations and labour institutions, and highlight the vulnerable situation experienced by thousands of migrant agricultural workers in Spain. The research warns of the negative impact on health of precarious working conditions, exposure to environmental risks and barriers to accessing health services, and calls for more inclusive public policies to protect this group, which is essential to the agri-food system. The articles have been published in the Journal of Migration and Health y Healthcare. 

The first article analyses professionals' perceptions of how the demands of agricultural work affect migrants' physical health. The study highlights that many workers are exposed to very long working hours, extreme temperatures and musculoskeletal injuries. It also points out that these conditions are exacerbated by difficulties in accessing healthcare, often limited by a lack of documentation, fear of losing one's job or a lack of information about available services. This study was conducted in collaboration with the Gimbernat University School, affiliated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), the University of Murcia, the Biobizkaia Biomedical Research Institute, and the University of Almeria.

The second study, in collaboration with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), focuses on the accessibility of health services for the same group. The research shows that, despite the fact that migrant workers represent a fundamental part of the Spanish agricultural workforce, they often encounter administrative, geographical, scheduling and financial barriers that make it difficult for them to access adequate healthcare, for example by going to emergency services for non-urgent matters or to purchase medicines. The research also involved the participation of staff from the Biobizkaia Biomedical Research Institute.

Both studies agree that the problem is structural and requires a coordinated response between administrations, agricultural companies, health professionals and social organisations. The researchers propose reviewing labour legislation, strengthening health inclusion mechanisms and promoting public health strategies that guarantee adequate protection for this vulnerable group.

The results of this research provide a solid basis for opening the debate on the future of the agricultural sector and the need to address the social and health inequalities that affect a significant part of its workforce. The authors warn that the sustainability of the agri-food system also depends on guaranteeing basic labour rights, universal access to healthcare and decent working conditions for all workers.

The research was made possible thanks to funding from the Carlos III Health Institute and the European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund 'A way to make Europe' / 'Investing in your future' for the project 'Agricultural work and migration in Spain: socio-labour precariousness and health' (PI20/01310).

Articles:

• Villa-Cordero, V., Sillero Sillero, A., Pastor-Bravo, M. d. M., Pérez-Urdiales, I., Jiménez-Lasserrotte, M. d. M., & Briones-Vozmediano, E. (2025). The Labour Conditions and Health of Migrant Agricultural Workers in Spain: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare, 13(15), 1877. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151877
• van Selm, L., Pérez-Urdiales, I., Mateos, JT., Jiménez-Lasserrotte, M., Pastor-Bravo, M.,Requena-Méndez, A., Briones-Vozmediano, E (2025). Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals, Journal of Migration and Health, (12). 100353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100353