Project Description
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2015-present
Accessibility of healthcare services is a major challenge facing agricultural migrant workers (AMW’s) in the United States. Additionally, AMW’s are at higher risk for certain chronic illnesses that must be monitored frequently. Building upon an idea proposed at the Finding Common Grounds conference, this pilot project will test the implementation of two on-site health-screening methods. A group of farms in Southeast Minnesota will adopt a self-service model of measuring workers’ blood pressure, blood cholesterol and glycosylated hemoglobin (diagnostic of diabetes) weekly, monthly and every three months respectively. Study team will visit a second group of farms in the same area on monthly basis to perform the same screening measurements.
We hypothesize that implementing self-service biometric screening at farms in the Southeast Minnesota area would provide a feasible and reliable method of screening for chronic diseases among agricultural migrant workers. Measurements and results will be compared for significance, compliance rate, and ability to detect prevalence of chronic disease.
AMW participants, employers, and healthcare providers will complete questionnaires upon the end of the 6-month study period in order to evaluate success of these models. This has the potential to improve healthcare services for AMW’s, foster better relationships between employers and AMW’s, and make it easier for healthcare providers to monitor the health of their patients.
Accessibility of healthcare services is a major challenge facing agricultural migrant workers (AMW’s) in the United States.
Project Personnel
