OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations of agricultural work and migration on self-reported respiratory symptoms in a Latino farm worker sample. METHODS: Work history and respiratory symptoms were assessed in 702 workers through interviews in a community-based cohort. RESULTS: Prevalence was 6% for asthma, 5% for chronic cough, 3% for chronic bronchitis, and 7% for persistent wheeze. The total number of years in agriculture was associated with asthma; however, time-weighted average dust exposure, use of protective equipment, and pesticide use in the past 12 months were not associated with respiratory outcomes. Living 15 years or more in the United States (adjusted odds ratio = 3.60; 95% confidence interval = 1.16 to 11.16) and medium/high acculturation (adjusted odds ratio = 6.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.40 to 26.29) were associated with increased odds of asthma in women. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of this community-based Latino farm worker cohort identified associations with asthma, particularly with migration factors in women. Copyright © 2015 by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

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protective equipment respiratory function agricultural worker human dust exposure Self Report Respiratory Tract Diseases middle aged statistics and numerical data abnormal respiratory sound Time Factors respiratory tract disease wheezing chronic disease Hispanic Americans United States occupational asthma Humans workplace Hispanic California male asthma Acculturation occupational exposure female dust chronic cough pesticide questionnaire cultural factor Agricultural Workers' Diseases prevalence Article Questionnaires adult major clinical study migration chronic bronchitis Bronchitis, Chronic Respiratory Sounds Emigration and Immigration Transients and Migrants adverse effects respiratory tract disease assessment occupational lung disease Cough time