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Medication Patterns as a Lens on Health Needs Among Migrant Agricultural Workers in Informal Settlements in Apulia: A
Cesare De Virgilio Suglia1, Renato Laforgia1, Marcella Schiavone1
1Doctors with Africa CUAMM, 70121 Bari, Italy.
Infectious Disease Reports
|July 24, 2026
Summary
Migrant agricultural workers in Italy primarily use pain relievers like NSAIDs for musculoskeletal issues, highlighting gaps in primary care access. This underscores the need for better integration into national health services.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Migrant Health
Background:
- Migrant agricultural workers in Italy face significant social and health vulnerabilities, including unstable housing and limited access to primary healthcare.
- Many reside in informal settlements in Southern Italy, relying on mobile outreach services for medical attention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe pharmacological treatment patterns among migrant agricultural workers in Apulia, Italy.
- To examine the relationship between diagnosed clinical conditions and prescribed medications within mobile clinic settings.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of routinely collected data from 2928 unique patients across 12 informal settlements (2017-2026).
- Categorization of diagnoses and pharmacological treatments (by therapeutic class) from 8547 clinical encounters and 8965 treatment occurrences.
- Descriptive analysis of diagnostic categories and associated treatments.
Main Results:
- The patient population was predominantly young (81% <45 years), male (96.5%), and lacked access to General Practitioners (93.5%).
- Musculoskeletal disorders and fatigue were the most common diagnoses (34.0%), followed by gastrointestinal (13.5%) and respiratory conditions (13.0%).
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics were the most frequent treatments (32.6%), particularly for musculoskeletal issues (76%).
Conclusions:
- Medication patterns in this outreach setting reflect common health problems and symptomatic relief strategies for migrant agricultural workers.
- High NSAID use for musculoskeletal conditions indicates a focus on managing acute pain, likely due to barriers in accessing continuous primary care.
- Findings emphasize the necessity of integrating migrant workers into the National Health Service and addressing social determinants of health.
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