Background: The relationship between immigration, work, and health is one of the most important challenges in occupational health at current, particularly in Spain, by the significant increase in the migrant workers in the labor market occurred. This investigation aims to know the relationship betwen working conditions and their effects on migrant workers.
Methods: Scoping review of scientific papers on this topic at the Medline and Medes databases in Spanish and English (1998-2012). The articles included were full text reviewed.
Results: 20 studies were included, 13 with quantitative methodology and 7 qualitative. The topics address specific health problems related to work (primarily occupational accidents), disability, and differences in working conditions and employment. The findings of the studies show a higher incidence of injury accidents, lower rates of disability, higher prevalence of work presenteeism, exposure to psychosocial factors, and precariousness.
Conclusion: Despite the uniqueness of the demographic process migration happened in Spain, health problems and determinants identified no different from those referenced in other countries, in other contexts and in other times.