Occupational health among Latino horse and crop workers in Kentucky: the role of work organization factors.

Agriculture is a dangerous industry often reliant on Latino workers, a vulnerable population. Using a work organization framework, this cross-sectional study analyzes the relationship between work organization variables and the occupational health of Latino crop (n = 49) and horse breeding (n = 54) workers in Kentucky. Increased levels of abusive supervision were associated with occupational injury (odds ratio [OR] = 2.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-8.77) and increased awkward postures were associated with occupational illness (OR = 3.85; 95% CI: 1.06-13.98). Although not statistically significant, abusive supervision increased the odds and a high safety climate score decreased the odds of injury, illness, and missed work. These findings suggest that the supervisor-subordinate relationship may play a critical role in the occupational health of Latino farmworkers.