Reducing Farmworker Residential Pesticide Exposure: Evaluation of a Lay Health Advisor Intervention

Abstract

The goal of this analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of a promotora program for teaching women in Latino farmworker families about pesticide safety and increasing pesticide safety behaviors. Volunteer promotoras delivered a pesticide safety curriculum (intervention) and nutrition curriculum (control) to farmworker women residing in western North Carolina and Virginia. Pre-and post-intervention interviews assessed differences in delivery of the intervention, recognition of the intervention, pesticide knowledge, pesticide exposures behaviors, and integrated pest management behaviors. Participants in the intervention group reported significantly more receipt of pesticide education and greater recognition of the key messages. However, their knowledge, pesticide exposure behaviors, and integrated pest management behaviors did not change. A more structured program is needed to be sure that the dose of interventions is large enough to overcome educational and cultural characteristics of immigrant communities. Policy changes are needed to address circumstances outside of farmworkers' control that affect pesticide exposure.

Educating Underserved Latino Communities about Family Health History Using Lay Health Advisors

“…Reinforcing key points over multiple educational sessions may help to improve participants’ knowledge, as well as their self-efficacy. Prior research on LHA interventions related to other content topics has shown that a brief one-time intervention may not be enough to influence knowledge [15]. …”

“…Prior research has investigated how best to communicate with Latino populations on various health topics [e.g., [15,16,17]]. To date, however, few studies have examined how to communicate effectively about family history with individuals from underserved communities, such as members of racial and ethnic minority groups.…”

Childhood Asthma, Air Quality, and Social Suffering Among Mexican Americans in California's San Joaquin Valley: “Nobody Talks to Us Here”

“…The ethnographic data collected in the Valley demonstrate the need to examine public health issues on the local level. We agree with Arcury et al's (2008) assessment that policy changes are needed to address circumstances outside farm workers' control. The national and international statistical data obscure the suffering experienced by individuals, and this 400-mile expanse of a valley surrounded by mountains is easily overshadowed in a macro-analysis.…”

Providing Health Information to Latino Farmworkers: The Case of the Affordable Care Act

“…This is the usual process to get health and safety information to farmworkers and other Latino workers. 18–20 However, this approach requires significant time and resources. Two-thirds of farmworkers feel that radio and television are good media for getting health information, but these media are not amenable to getting information on specific topics to distinct populations.…”