Many of their temporary communities look upon them as transients for whom the community feels no responsibility. These communities often lack enough physicians. dentists and nurses to meet the needs of local residents. let alone the needs of people "just passing through." The result Is a heavy burden of illness and disability. Tuberculosis is 17 times more frequent and infestation with worms 35 times more frequent among migrants than among ordinary patients. Mortality from tuberculosis and other infectious diseases is 21/2 times the national average. Mortality from accidents is nearly three times the national average. Infant mortality is at the national rate of 20 years ago. As late as 1966. in two Texas border countiesCameron and Hidalgo--which are home for many thousands of MexicanAmerican migrants. 20 percent of the births occurred outside of hospitals. compared with 2 percent for the Nation as a whole. The Migrant Health Act was passed to help meet migrants longstanding health needs. The act authorizes the Public Health Service to grant funds to public or private nonprofit agencies to pay part of the costs of migrant family health service clinics and services to improve migrants health conditions. A typical grantassisted project is operated in a northwestern Ohio county with a seasonal influx of 4.000 members of Texasbased MexicanAmerican families. The people start coming in April and some stay until November.
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migrant migrants Migrant