Rural Workers Research Articles

Citizen engagement in national health insurance in rural western Kenya.

Effective citizen engagement is crucial for the success of social health insurance, yet little is known about the mechanisms used to involve citizens in low- and middle-income countries. This paper explores citizen engagement efforts by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and their impact on health insurance coverage within rural informal worker households in western Kenya. Our study employed a mixed methods design, including a cross-sectional household survey (n = 1773), in-depth household interviews (n = 36), six focus group discussions with community stakeholders and key informant interviews (n = 11) with policymakers. The findings reveal that NHIF is widely recognized, but knowledge of its services, feedback mechanisms and accountability systems is limited. NHIF enrolment among respondents is low (11%). The majority (63%) are aware of NHIF, but only 32% know about the benefit package. There was higher awareness of the benefit package (60%) among those with NHIF compared to those without (28%). Satisfaction with the NHIF benefit package was expressed by only 48% of the insured. Nearly all respondents (93%) are unaware of mechanisms to provide feedback or raise complaints with NHIF. Of those who are aware, the majority (57%) mention visiting NHIF offices for assistance. Most respondents (97%) lack awareness of NHIF's performance reporting mechanisms and express a desire to learn. Negative media reports about NHIF's performance erode trust, contributing to low enrolment and member attrition. Our study underscores the urgency of prioritizing citizen engagement to address low enrolment and attrition rates. We recommend evaluating current citizen engagement procedures to enhance citizen accountability and incorporate their voices. Equally important is the need to build the capacity of health facility staff handling NHIF clients in providing information and addressing complaints. Transparency and information accessibility, including the sharing of performance reports, will foster trust in the insurer. Lastly, standardizing messaging and translations for diverse audiences, particularly rural informal workers, is crucial.

Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue: Experiences of Rehabilitation Healthcare Workers in Rural and Remote Locations in Australia

Purpose. This study sought to gain an understanding of rural and remote rehabilitation healthcare workers’ perceptions and experiences of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Method. Sixteen rehabilitation workers from four national providers of rehabilitation services to rural and remote communities participated in semistructured interviews conducted by telephone over a four-month period in 2018-2019. Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework guided the thematic analysis. Findings. Quality of work life, organisational and workplace culture, and organisational management practices, particularly key performance indicators (KPIs), were reported as impacting compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Sources of compassion satisfaction were also common to the development of compassion fatigue, suggesting that it is unlikely for compassion satisfaction to be experienced without risk of compassion fatigue. Conclusion. Although there are similarities in experiences of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue with other remote healthcare workers, for rehabilitation workers, KPIs were a unique concern, mainly due to their uniformity regardless of geographic location. Participants’ concerns about meeting KPIs increased their work-related pressures, normalised unsafe work practices, and were a cause of recruitment and retention concerns. These perceived influences suggest that rehabilitation workers have a lower likelihood of developing and maintaining compassion satisfaction and a heightened risk of developing compassion fatigue than other rural or remote healthcare workers.

«Каждому молодому труженику – среднее образование»: всеобуч в сельской Якутии 1960–1980-х гг.

The present article hinges primarily on the research of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of human resources of rural Yakutia in the Soviet period. The regional experience in implementing the policy of introduc-ing secondary universal education in rural areas is considered. Republican measures to involve working youth in a flexible educational system through educational and advisory centers, part-time and evening schools are highlighted. Difficulties in providing universal schooling for rural schoolchildren and lagging behind the materi-al and technical base of educational institutions in small and remote settlements are pointed out. According to the study, in the period of 1960–1980s, the network of rural schools of different forms of education expanded in the republic and the number of secondary school students increased. Thanks to targeted campaigns, a real breakthrough in the education system occurred, and the level of general education of rural youth and agricul-tural workers in general was raised.

Connecting to Community: Violence Prevention Barriers, Geography, and Preventionist Perceptions of Community Leadership and Opportunities.

Violence is a public health concern, negatively impacting individual and community health and safety. Although violence can be prevented, prevention efforts are complex in part because they require addressing community factors. Despite an increase in funding and support for community violence prevention, relatively little is known about what prevention practice barriers may be related to community factors. This study addressed this gap by surveying a statewide sample of violence preventionists. We explored if coordination and logistical barriers and rural geography are associated with perceptions of two community factors: community opportunities and leadership quality. As part of a statewide assessment of violence and prevention efforts, 130 violence preventionists completed surveys. Results showed that both perceived coordination barriers and rural geography were negatively associated with perceptions of existing community opportunities, representative/influential leadership, and leadership commitment. Perceived logistical barriers were positively associated with perceived leadership commitment. Findings suggest that support reducing community coordination barriers in particular-and to support rural violence prevention work more broadly-is needed.

Assessment of pre-referral treatment for malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia by rural community health workers in Southwestern Uganda: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPre-referral treatment aims to stabilize the child’s condition before transferring them to a higher level of healthcare. This study explored pre-referral treatment for diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia in children U5. The study aims to assess pre-referral treatment practices among community health workers (CHWs) for children aged 2 to 59 months diagnosed with malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia.MethodsConducted in 2023, this study employed a quantitative retrospective analysis of secondary data gathered from March 2014 to December 2018. Among the subjects, 171 patients received pre-referral treatment, serving as the foundation for categorical data analysis, presenting proportions and 95% confidence intervals across different categories.ResultsIn this cohort, 90 (53%) of the 177 children U5 were male, and age distribution showed 39 (23%), 70 (41%), and 62 (36%) in the 2–11 months, 12–35 months, and 36–60 months categories, respectively. Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) malaria results indicated a negative outcome in 83(60%) and positive in 55 (40%) of cases. Symptomatically, 45 (26%) had diarrhea, 52 (30%) exhibited fast breathing, and 109 (63%) presented with fever. Furthermore, 59 (35%) displayed danger signs, while 104 (61%) sought medical attention within 24 h.ConclusionThe study analyzed a sample of 171 children under 5 years old to assess various characteristics and variables related to pre-referral treatment. The findings reveal notable proportions in gender distribution, age categories, RDT results, presence of diarrhea, fast breathing, fever, danger signs, and timely medical visits. The results highlight the need to strengthen pre-referral treatment interventions and enhance iCCM programs.

Efficiency of toxicological tests on Rural Workers exposed to testicides

The objective of this study was to compare the results of two methods to verify acute pesticide poisoning, the analysis of micronucleus (MN) of cells in the oral mucosa and the measurement of Plasma Cholinesterase (BuChE) and Erythrocyte Cholinesterase (AChE) in rural workers exposed to pesticides. As methodological procedures, two groups with 27 individuals each were determined. Blood samples were collected to measure AChE and BuChE, Alkaline Phosphatase, Gamma Glutamil Transferase (Gamma GT), Oxaloacetic Transaminase (TGO) and Pyruvic Transaminase (TGP), for the exposed group, at two moments: after the moment of application of the insecticide-type pesticide and after the application of any other type of pesticide. In the unexposed group, only one collection was carried out. For MN analysis, cells were collected from the buccal mucosa from the inner region of the cheek. The group exposed to pesticides had a higher number of MN when compared to the group not exposed to pesticides. There was no significant difference in AChE between the exposed group and the unexposed group at the first moment (p = 0.847) and similarly for BuChE (p = 0.070).

Caste Wise Earning Discrimination among Rural Non-farm Sector Workers in India

This study investigates wage discrimination among non-farm workers, including both regular and casual workers, in rural India between the forward caste (FC) and backward caste (BC). Using data from NSSO unit-level employment and unemployment surveys from 2004–2005 and 2011–2012, as well as periodic labour force surveys from 2017–2018 to 2019–2020, the study found that the wage differential between FC and BC non-farm employees increased over time, with BC workers being paid less than FC workers. To determine the factors contributing to the wage difference, a linear regression model was used, and the decomposition method was employed to examine whether the difference was due to endowment or discrimination effects. Overall, the study highlights the persistence of caste-based wage discrimination in rural non-farm employment in India. For the betterment of BC workers and to reduce discrimination, the policies and programmes which are implemented by the government need to be revived.

Analysis on occupational dust or harmful gas exposure and protection in people aged 40 and above in China, 2019-2020

Objective: To understand the current status of occupational exposure to dust or harmful gases and occupational protection in people aged ≥40 years in China, and provide data support for the prevention and control of occupational dust or harmful gas exposure. Methods: The data were obtained from the surveillance for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults aged ≥40 years selected by multi-stage stratified cluster sampling from 125 surveillance points in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) during 2014-2015 and 2019-2020, and relevant information about occupational dust or harmful gas exposure and protection measures were collected through face-to-face interviews. Occupational dust or harmful gas exposure rate and occupational protection rate were estimated by using weighting complex sampling methods, and then the results were compared. Results: From 2014 to 2015 and from 2019 to 2020, a total of 71 061 and 71 023 individuals aged ≥40 years were surveyed, respectively. The rate of occupational exposure to dust or hazardous gas was 33.8% (95%CI: 29.9%-37.7%) during 2019-2020. The occupational exposure rate was higher in men than in women and in rural residents than in urban residents. With the increase of education level, the rate of occupational exposure to dust or harmful gas showed a downward trend. The protection rate against occupational dust or hazardous gas exposure was 47.9% (95%CI: 43.2%-52.6%) during 2019-2020. Compared with 2014-2015, the rate of occupational exposure to dust or hazardous gas decreased by 10.7 percentage points in different gender, area and occupational groups and the occupational protection rate increased by 21.9 percentage points during 2019-2020. The decrease in occupational exposure rate was higher in western China than in eastern and central China, and the increase in occupational protection rate was higher in western China than in eastern and central China. Conclusions: The rate of occupational exposure to dust or harmful gas decreased and the rate of occupational protection against dust or harmful gas exposure increased in China during 2019-2020. However, about one-third of the population still suffer from the occupational exposure, and less than half of them take protection measures. It is necessary to pay more attention to the key populations, such as workers with lower cultural level and rural migrant workers, in occupational health practice.

Does improving basic public health services promote household consumption of rural migrant workers? Evidence from China.

Transforming rural migrant workers' consumption potential into a consumption booster requires ensuring their equal rights as urban residents. The adequate access to Basic Public Health Services (BPHS) help effectively tackle rural migrant workers' health challenges and promote the well-being of this vulnerable population. Assessing the welfare effects of BPHS through a consumption perspective offers valuable insights and provides policy implications for enhancing the equity of BPHS and achieving common prosperity. Utilizing the household-level data from China Migrants Dynamic Survey 2017 (CMDS 2017), this study comprehensively evaluated the effects of BPHS on rural migrant workers' household consumption by combining the methods of OLS, PSM, and IV. The enhancement of BPHS promotes rural migrant workers' household consumption even after considering endogeneity problems. Mechanism analysis indicates that BPHS imposes its positive effects on rural migrant workers through improving health literacy and increasing citizenization willingness. Furthermore, we identified heterogeneous effects across individual and household characteristics of rural migrant workers, and their flow patterns. Our analysis indicates that BPHS plays a greater role in promoting household consumption of socially vulnerable groups, such as trans-provincial migration, rural migrant workers in old generations, and with lower-level income. Overall, these results suggest that the welfare effects of BPHS are inclusive in China.

Are non-fungible payments attractive when they reduce risk exposure? Evidence from Colombia.

We conducted a lab-in-the-field experiment in which 214 Colombian rural workers must choose between cash or voucher payment for completing a real effort task. Although the voucher may be perceived as non-fungible, it halves the probability of suffering a negative shock that will reduce the participant's payment by two-thirds. Participants made four decisions in which we vary the voucher values such that this payment method offers, in expectation, between 88% to 123% of the cash payment (fixed across decisions). We find that uptake rates go from 32% to 56%, from the least to the most generous voucher. These rates are consistently larger compared to a reference sample of undergrad students from the same region (p-values from the χ2 tests for all four decisions fall below 0.035). Our between-subjects variations reveal that presenting the vouchers in descending order yields a higher uptake than the ascending order (p < 0.001 for the corresponding coefficient in a tobit and ordered logit regressions including municipality characteristics, an effect driven by the two decisions with the lowest voucher values, with p-values of 0.008 and 0.072 in the χ2 tests, respectively). We interpret this result as an endowment effect of the voucher's risk reduction.

Moving together or left behind? An examination of rural migrant working mothers' childcare strategies in the cities.

In China, an increasing number of rural mothers participate in urban labour markets, but little is known about their decisions regarding childcare while living in these cities. Why do some rural mothers migrate to the cities with their children, whereas others leave their children behind in the countryside? This study analysed 1852 samples from the 2016 China Migrant Dynamic Survey of rural migrant mothers collected in the Pearl River Delta (PRD). These mothers were registered with agricultural hukou outside of the PRD and had at least one child under 18 years of age. The results indicated that 57.8% of these mothers migrated together with their children. Rural migrant mothers who were self-employed, had a higher level of household income on a log10 scale and had a longer duration of migration were more willing to adopt closely performing motherhood than rural migrant mothers who were not self-employed. Additionally, rural working mothers who were intra-provincial migrants and had a smaller number of children were more likely to bring their children to the cities than rural working mothers who were inter-provincial migrants. This study works to strengthen the understanding of rural migrant working mothers' childcare strategies, provide insights for future policy studies and contribute to evidence-based recommendations for policymakers regarding internal rural-to-urban migration, migrant women and the wellbeing of the families of migrants.

Sun exposure and photoprotection habits among rural workers in the municipality of Guaraciaba

Sun exposure and photoprotection habits among rural workers in the municipality of Guaraciaba

Inovação social rural em práticas de economia solidária no coletivo Cooptar no Sul do Brasil

Abstract Disputes over land and the struggle for the right to work and dignified life for rural workers have been going on for a long time in Brazil. They are currently reconfigured based on new forms of exclusion that characterize the “new rural.” Rural social innovation (RSI) comprises a broad process of social change, capable of contributing to dealing with challenges and, providing opportunities for social inclusion and overcoming inequalities. This article aimed to understand the transforming potential of the RSI developed at the Cooperativa de Produção Agropecuária Cascata Ltda. (Cooptar), a Collective resulting from one of the agrarian settlements formed from the occupation of the Annoni Farm in Rio Grande do Sul by the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST). Methodologically, the case study was based on documental research, observation, 24 semi-structured interviews with cooperative families and external technicians, and content analysis. The findings showed that, through processes of ongoing training and protagonism of the members of the collective, Cooptar exists and has been self-renewing for 33 years in its interpersonal and family relationships (confronting individualism and gender inequality), practices of solidarity economy (collective ownership and self-management) and diversification in production processes, constituting a true culture of transformative and solidary social innovation.

Rural workers in São Paulo fields: Mutilated Stories

Resumo: Há quase meio século, venho estudando a realidade social dos/as trabalhadores/as rurais no estado de são Paulo. Foram inúmeras pesquisas realizadas com trabalhadores/as que se destinavam aos canaviais, cafezais e laranjais. Em sua grande maioria eram migrantes, provenientes do Vale do Jequitinhonha/MG e estados do nordeste do Brasil, fato que ampliou minhas pesquisas até a estes locais. No momento atual, assiste-se no estado de São Paulo à prevalência da agricultura 4.0, caracterizada pelo domínio das máquinas e das tecnologias de informação e (TIs), resultando no apagamento dos rastros destes/as trabalhadores/as. Assim, meu intento é analisar o processo de amnésia histórica, daí advindo, com as lentes de Sayad e outros autores, em dois tempos. O primeiro deles referente à dizimação dos povos indígenas no começo do século XX em várias regiões do estado e em muitas outras do país; o segundo se refere ao apagamento da história/memória atual dos trabalhadores/as rurais. A metodologia é baseada na análise de fontes escritas e entrevistas orais.

Perception of the Women of the Mandacaru Settlement about Health Care

This article aims to discuss the understanding of the perception of health care of women living in the Mandacaru Settlement. It consists of a qualitative research, with an ethnographic approach, and analyzed from the interpretative analysis. The field study was carried out in the Mandacaru Settlement, in Petrolina, Pernambuco, from March to June 2019 and 17 women participated in the research. This study was submitted to and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of São Paulo School of Nursing. These women were between 22 and 79 years old, were rural workers, artisans, confectioners, and many of them were migrants, and this is a common characteristic in the Submedio São Francisco Region, and among the main results found are the impact of the transition from conventional agriculture to agroecology and the understanding, or perception, of health care in the context in which they live. Thus, they perceive it as a space of diverse health care practices rich in popular knowledge and with a strong relationship with rural work.

A New Data Science Model With Supervised Learning and its Application on Pesticide Poisoning Diagnosis in Rural Workers

A New Data Science Model With Supervised Learning and its Application on Pesticide Poisoning Diagnosis in Rural Workers

The Giant with Feet of Clay: Rural Work as a Weak Link in Agribusiness in Times of Labor Reform

Resumo O artigo analisa as mudanças promovidas pela Reforma Trabalhista de 2017 nas relações de trabalho rurais e nas práticas sindicais. Os direitos trabalhistas e a sindicalização dos trabalhadores rurais foram regulamentados nos anos de 1960 e receberam maior aprimoramento nas décadas seguintes, notadamente na Constituição de 1988. O artigo parte da análise de textos das Convenções Coletivas de Trabalho (CCT) e outros documentos, além de entrevistas com lideranças sindicais em quatro áreas do agronegócio gaúcho. As reformas reduziram o poder do Estado na definição das relações de trabalho, flexibilizaram os contratos e jornadas, os sindicatos perderam parte de seu poder na intermediação das relações de trabalho e das suas receitas, ao passo que aumentou a importância do acertado nas CCT, inclusive, se sobrepondo à lei. Estas mudanças são significativas para o trabalho rural e os sindicatos em áreas de ponta do agronegócio e ainda precisam ser melhor compreendidas pela academia.

РУССКИЙ УЧИТЕЛЬ В КАРЕЛЬСКОЙ ДЕРЕВНЕ В КОНЦЕ XIX — НАЧАЛЕ XX ВЕКА: ПРОБЛЕМЫ ИНКУЛЬТУРАЦИИ И АДАПТАЦИИ

The aim of the article is to show the spheres in which the enculturation of Russian teachers took place in the Karelian rural society of the late 19th — early 20th centuries, during the period of rapid growth of this professional group. Teachers, along with other representatives of the emerging rural intelligentsia — priests, feldshers, agronomists, as well as rural administration workers — constituted an ethno-dispersed group of Russians in the territory of Karelia. The novice teacher, carrying out the “Kulturtrager mission”, had to fit into the local society, to gain the understanding and trust of the Karelian peasants in order for the school to solve the problem of strengthening the position of Orthodoxy, role of the Russian language and enlightenment of the Karelian population, to win their loyalty through “soft power” as opposed to forced Russification. To that effect different personal strategies were implemented, the poles of which can be considered to be, on the one hand, acceptance of Karelian cultural peculiarities and enculturation, which became the basis of the adaptation process, and, on the other hand, distancing from the locals, maladaptation and social deformation. Adopting local taboos and behavioral rules, mastering the Karelian language, adjusting school pedagogy to the basic folk ideas of child rearing are typical components of social and professional adaptation of the Karelian village teacher. Based on the reports of teachers and school inspectors, teachers’ publications in the press, travelers’ notes and other sources, it is shown that in everyday life there was a spontaneous, largely situational borrowing of elements of ethnic culture, while in the professional sphere advanced teachers consciously took account of local cultural specifics, which resulted, in particular, in the adjustment of the school calendar and disciplinary practices at school.

A Mixed Methods, Cluster-Randomised Study Protocol to Design and Test WhatsApp Group-Based HIV Microlearning for Rural South African Healthcare Workers

A Mixed Methods, Cluster-Randomised Study Protocol to Design and Test WhatsApp Group-Based HIV Microlearning for Rural South African Healthcare Workers

National centralized drug procurement and health care expenditure of households-micro-evidence from CFPS.

This paper utilizes data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to evaluate the impact of the "4 + 7" National Centralized Drug Procurement (NCDP) on Per Capita Household Health Care Expenditure (PCHHCE). The study applies the Differences-in-Differences (DID) methodology to analyze the effects of NCDP. Various robustness tests were conducted, including the Permutation test, Propensity Score Matching, alterations in regression methodologies, and consideration of individual fixed effects. Research indicates that the implementation of NCDP led to a reduction of 10.6% in PCHHCE. The results remained consistent across all robustness tests. Additionally, the research identifies diversity in NCDP effects among various household characteristics, with a more significant impact on households residing in rural regions of China, enrolled in Basic Medical Insurance for urban and rural residents and urban workers, and having an income bracket of 25-75%. These findings carry policy implications for the future expansion and advancement of NCDP in China. The study highlights the effectiveness of NCDP in reducing healthcare expenditures and suggests potential areas for policy improvement and further research.