Migrant Worker Case Study
Bogg County is a rural area whose residents rely on farming for income. The most popular crop in Bogg County is tobacco, a very labor-intensive plant. To save money, many farmers employ Hispanic migrant farm workers who come to the county looking for work. Migrant farm workers are cheaper to employ than other farm workers because many of them are illegal immigrants who cannot afford to complain about the low wages.
Understanding that a lack of access to health care is of concern to migrant farm workers, Steven L., a nurse, opens a mobile health clinic that visits farms in the evening. Two nurse practitioners and two registered nurses staff the traveling health clinic. All staff members are fluent in Spanish, and one of the nurses can speak Chinese. Medical and Social Security cards are not needed for clients to be seen at the mobile clinic. Nurses primarily see clients for injuries (cuts and sprains) resulting from falls or accidents while in the field and for relief of pain associated with chronic back and neck muscle strain.
What health-promotion activities could Nurse Steven encourage for this group of migrant farm workers?
What barriers to health care limit Hispanic migrant workers’ access to health services? How is Nurse Steven addressing these barriers?
What cultural considerations should be addressed when one is working with this group of Hispanic migrant workers?
What data on the workers lives and health might Nurse Steven want to collect to use in social and political advocacy for this population?
What evaluation methods might be used to determine if the mobile health clinic is being effective in encouraging health-seeking and health-promoting behaviors?
Submit 1-2 pages addressing the questions involved in this case study. No title page is required. Use at least two scholarly references dated within 5 years for your submission.
