The jornalero: perceptions of health care resources of immigrant day laborers

Latino immigrant day laborers, also termed jornaleros or contingent workers, compose a significant segment of the millions of undocumented, temporary workers in our urban centers. These laborers largely work without benefit of health insurance in occupations that are unmonitored, unprotected, and often unsafe. This study utilized semi-structured interviews to explore the perceived health status and resources for health care in one group of 20 Latino day laborers in southern California. Results suggest a population that is largely in undocumented immigrant status with few health care resources other than emergency care centers and clinics provided for the homeless population. With close to 12 million undocumented workers currently residing in the US, this population bears additional scrutiny both for humanitarian reasons and for public health policy considerations.