Intercultural Health Practices of a Group of Migrant Agricultural Day Laborers in Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, Mexico, from a Human Development Perspective

Cultural diversity represents a significant challenge in the field of intercultural health, as it implies recognizing multiple systems of knowledge that interpret well-being, illness, and care in different ways. This plurality, far from being a limitation, offers the possibility of generating processes of dialogue among knowledge systems under more equitable conditions, strengthening social relationships and the articulation between different models of health care.

This presentation shares the results of a theoretical–empirical research study that analyzes the intercultural health practices of migrant agricultural day laborers living in Ciudad Guzmán, in the municipality of Zapotlán el Grande, Jalisco, Mexico. The objective is to understand how these practices contribute to their integral human development. From a qualitative perspective, a descriptive content analysis was conducted to explore the experiences, meanings, and forms of knowledge that migrant workers attribute to health, in close relation to their sociocultural and labor conditions.

The study is based on a conceptual framework that integrates intercultural health, labor migration, and the human development approach, showing how these dimensions intersect and shape care practices in agricultural contexts marked by profound productive and social transformations. The research reveals changes in eating habits, ways of dealing with illness, and well-being strategies associated with the growth of the agricultural sector in the southern region of Jalisco.

The results highlight both the richness of community knowledge and the structural challenges faced by migrant agricultural workers, emphasizing the need for intercultural approaches to health. Finally, a referential alternative for culturally relevant health care is proposed, aimed at strengthening integral human development and contributing insights for the design of more inclusive and context-sensitive public policies.

BREVE RESEÑA PERSONAL/BRIEF PERSONAL REVIEW

He is a Lecturer (Profesor de Asignatura “B”) at the Centro Universitario del Sur (CUSur) of the University of Guadalajara. He is a pediatric nurse affiliated with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), working at General Zone Hospital No. 9 and a Family Medicine Unit. He also serves as Head Nurse of Service at the Regional High Specialty Hospital in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Jalisco.

He has extensive experience as a university lecturer in the training of human resources in the health field, as well as in hospital clinical practice. He has participated as a speaker at national and international conferences and is the author of book chapters and research articles.

He is a registered member of the State College of Nursing Professionals of Jalisco (Colegio Estatal Profesionales de Enfermería Jalisco A.C.) and a founding member of PERJal (Profesionales de Enfermería con Representatividad en Jalisco S.C.).