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.
Highlights
Farmworker-serving community health workers have limited access to farmworker health research findings, training, and education resources
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers are “individual[s] whose principal employment is in agriculture on a seasonal basis,” and migrant farmworkers have to establish a temporary abode for the purposes of such employment [2]
The evaluation is driven by a logic model and includes interviews with community health workers (CHWs) and farmworkers and tracking of metrics on material use
Summary
Farmworker-serving community health workers have limited access to farmworker health research findings, training, and education resources. 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. Farmworkers are at greater risk for many noncommunicable diseases, mental health issues, heat stress, pesticide exposure, and other occupational hazards [1]. They often lack access to health and safety information [5]. Many farmworkers are undocumented and live below federal poverty levels, which diminishes their access to legal protections and health care [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
