Migrant farmworker communities present distinct challenges that require new approaches for community participation in research. In the State of Oregon an agency that advocates for the migrant farmworker community has collaborated successfully with university researchers to implement a research program directed to reducing pesticide exposures among the children of migrant farmworkers. The research process has included both qualitative research methods with members of the community and quantitative approaches to measure pesticide dust residues in homes, biomarkers of pesticide exposure, and effects on health. A committee of university and community stakeholders advises the research. Evaluative processes have been initiated to assess the effectiveness of the participatory model used in this project. The components of the preliminary process evaluation and results are presented. Evaluative data show that researchers and community members differ on perceptions of community involvement and the extent to which communication problems have been resolved between the two groups. Suggestions for improved community involvement and communication are given.

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The need exists for culturally appropriate and effective educational interventions to reduce pesticide exposure in migrant and seasonal farm-worker (MSFW) communities. The development of one such intervention was part of a community-based research project which partnered the Oregon Health Sciences University and the Oregon Child Development Coalition (Migrant Head Start). The process involved identifying an optimal educational method and content, evaluating existing educational materials on pesticides, developing the selected educational tool (a video), and assessing the effectiveness of the video as an intervention. Focus groups were conducted with MSFWs to elicit their perceived need for education and desired content, method, and delivery. Four currently used educational tools were evaluated for satisfaction, preference, recall ability and knowledge change. Based on these findings, a pesticide exposure video directed at the protection of children was produced. To determine the effectiveness of the video, knowledge, satisfaction and self-reported behaviors were assessed with MSFWs. A sizeable increase in overall pesticide knowledge was measured after seeing the video (p < 0.0001). MSFWs overall were satisfied with the video and reported increased protective behaviors after seeing the video.

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