Dignity of Work and at Work: The Relationship between Workplace Dignity and Health among Latino Immigrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Thespina J. Yamanis (), Samhita Rao, Alexandra J. Reichert, Rachel Haws, Taryn Morrissey and Angela Suarez
Additional contact information
Thespina J. Yamanis: School of International Service, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
Samhita Rao: School of International Service, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
Alexandra J. Reichert: Department of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Rachel Haws: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Taryn Morrissey: School of Public Affairs, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave., Washington, DC 20016, USA
Angela Suarez: La Clinica del Pueblo, Washington, DC 20009, USA

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Latino immigrants living in the United States were highly vulnerable to the health and economic consequences brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We use the conceptual framing of workplace dignity, worth that is acknowledged based on performance of job responsibilities, to explore Latino immigrants’ experiences during the early months of the pandemic. A qualitative study was conducted with La Clínica del Pueblo ( La Clínica ), a community health center serving low-income Latino immigrants. From June to December 2020, we conducted in-depth video interviews with 29 Latino immigrant clients to explore pandemic-related challenges, including workplace changes, discriminatory experiences, and effects on health. We conducted thematic analysis using Dedoose software. Nearly half of participants were undocumented immigrants. Most participants were unemployed or underemployed due to the pandemic and 26–49 years of age; one-third were still working, and one-quarter were 50 years or older. About half were cisgender women and two were transgender women. Employed participants experienced a lack of dignity through being socially isolated and stigmatized at work; receiving no compensation for their extra labor or for sick leave; and experiencing discriminatory labor practices. Unemployed participants experienced a lack of dignity in being the first to lose their jobs without government support; losing self-esteem; and not being rehired. Participants associated denial of dignity with worsening health conditions and increased anxiety and depression. Our study suggests that denial of workplace dignity—through job loss, underemployment, and poor working conditions—is linked to adverse health outcomes for Latino immigrants. More research should recognize workplace dignity as an important social determinant of health.

Keywords: social determinants of health; Latino; Latina; undocumented immigrants; health equity; noncitizens; epidemic; SARS-CoV2; dignity; work (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/7/855/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/7/855/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:7:p:855-:d:1425754

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().