Creating information resources and trainings for farmworker-serving community health workers

Authors

  • Jamie E. Bloss Assistant Professor, Laupus Health Sciences Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0706-7684
  • Catherine E. LePrevost Associate Extension Professor, Department of Applied Ecology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, and NC Agromedicine Institute, Greenville, NC https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7360-0021
  • Leslie E. Cofie Assistant Professor, Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0947-2250
  • Joseph G. L. Lee Associate Professor, Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance and Center for Health Disparities, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9698-649X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2022.1272

Keywords:

farmworkers, health literacy, community health workers, health promotion, information literacy, healthcare disparities, minority health

Abstract

Background: Farmworker-serving community health workers have limited access to farmworker health research findings, training, and education resources. With funding from the National Library of Medicine, we are working to improve the health information literacy of both community health workers and farmworkers. We conducted focus group discussions with community health workers to explore their experiences providing health education and information to farmworkers, their information-seeking behaviors, and their technology and information needs. Data from the focus groups provided insights into the main areas in which community health workers would like to receive professional development.

Case Presentation: Our team, which includes health sciences librarians, developed a resource list of educational materials for farmworker health, videos to increase community health workers’ skills finding health information online, and webinars to introduce these resources to community health workers. Videos, available in Spanish and English, included instruction on finding and evaluating online health information, accessing reputable online consumer health information sources, and advanced searching tips for Google and PubMed. Through three webinars, we introduced the resource list, videos, and design software for creating handouts and infographics to community health workers.

Conclusions: Community health workers have a critical role in providing health education and information to farmworkers, and our efforts represent a first step in addressing community health workers’ limited access to professional development. Health sciences librarians are well positioned to partner with interdisciplinary teams working to reduce health disparities and provide resources and training to community health workers, farmworkers, and other underserved communities.

References

Ramos AK. A human rights-based approach to farmworker health: an overarching framework to address the social determinants of health. J Agromedicine. 2018;23(1):25–31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2017.1384419.

Rural Health Information Hub. Rural migrant health [Internet]. 2018 [cited 18 June 2021]. <https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/migrant-health>.

Hernandez T, Gabbard S. Findings from the National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) 2015-2016: a demographic and employment profile of United States farmworkers [Internet]. JBS International; 2018 [cited 18 June 2021]. <https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/naws/pdfs/NAWS_Research_Report_13.pdf>.

National Center for Farmworker Health. Facts about agricultural workers [Internet]. 2020 [cited 18 June 2021]. <http://www.ncfh.org/uploads/3/8/6/8/38685499/facts_about_farmworkers__12.17.20.pdf>.

Anthony M, Williams JM, Avery AM. Health needs of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. J Community Health Nurs. Jul-Sep 2008;25(3):153–60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07370010802221768.

Love MB, Gardner K, Legion V. Community health workers: who they are and what they do. Health Educ Behav. 1997 Aug;24(4):510–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/109019819702400409.

LePrevost CE, Blanchard MR, Cope WG. Personal goals and perceived barriers of farmworker pesticide trainers: implications for workplace safety and health. J Agr Safety Health. 2014;20(4):267–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.20.10528.

Bloss JE, LePrevost CE, Zahra AG, Firnhaber GC, Cofie LE, Zepeda R, Lee JG. Advancing the health of migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the U.S.: Identifying gaps in the existing literature, 2021. Health Promot Pract. 2021 Sep. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399211033308.

LePrevost CE, Walton AL, Thomas G, Lipscomb A. Engaging outreach workers in the development of a farmworker health research agenda. Environ Res. 2018 Aug;165:19–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.03.041.

Mahmood K. Do people overestimate their information literacy skills? A systematic review of empirical evidence on the Dunning-Kruger effect. Communications in Information Literacy. 2016 10(2):3. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2016.10.2.24.

Lee JGL, Sesay M, Acevedo PA, Chichester ZA, Chaney BH. Practical advice regarding the reliability of the Patient Educational Materials Assessment Tool for health educators. Health Promot Pract. 2022;23(1):17–19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839920984790.

ECU Department of Health Education and Promotion, ECU Laupus Health Sciences Library, NC State University Department of Applied Ecology, and Student Action with Farmworkers. Farmworker health literacy. https://www.farmworkerhealthliteracy.org/ 2021 [cited 17 June 2021].

Lee J. Education Materials for Farmworker Health: A Resource List - Materiales de educación de salud para trabajadores agrícolas: Lista de Recursos. V1. 2020 [cited 17 June 2021]. UNC Dataverse. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15139/S3/F1M9KC.

Laupus Health Sciences Library. Finding reliable health information online [Internet]. 2020 [cited 17 June 2021]. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCPYx_6Tu0E&list=PLlqzbb0fE4vHx6phB-LNXIK1M97N2tRtB>.

Downloads

Published

2022-02-11

Issue

Section

Case Report