A recent study published in the Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved leveraged the medico-legal partnerships of HEAL Trafficking and Justice at Work to better understand healthcare utilization among survivors of labor trafficking. Using legal aid organization data, the purpose of this study was to describe the health care utilization and occupational exposures during trafficking among foreign-born people labor trafficked in the U.S. While 4.8 million people are subjected to forced sexual exploitation, up to 14.2 million experience forced labor exploitation. Despite its prevalence, existing research is limited with only 10% of all literature around human trafficking considering labor exploitation. Lack of education and awareness significantly impedes advocacy, prevention, and intervention efforts for this community. Recognizing the clinical touchpoints through which survivors of trafficking interface can equip healthcare professionals to better identify and address the needs of this community. This study is integral in beginning to describe the issue and identify avenues for intervention. Methods for this study included a retrospective analysis of immigration files for health data among 114 labor trafficked individuals. Researchers compiled de-identified narratives from legal documents to highlight potential identifiers of labor trafficked. Data gathered from this study informed a groundbreaking presentation for healthcare providers that reveals healthcare needs, utilization patterns, and intervention opportunities within the medical system and will be shared at this conference.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Nani Cuadrado is the Director of Education for HEAL Trafficking leading innovative health solutions to eradicate human trafficking worldwide. A physician assistant (PA) for over 20 years, she is a fierce ally for vulnerable populations and survivors of trafficking and was awarded AAPA’s 2021 PA of the Year for her work.