Cultural Effectiveness in Research: A Summary Report of a Panel Session Entitled “Engaging Populations at Risk”

ABSTRACT

This paper summarizes two presentations and a panel discussion engaging health scientists, educators, and community outreach professionals who have drawn upon their experiences as researchers and agricultural workers to describe research challenges related to access, trust, language, culture, and participant benefit. These presentations and discussion took place at the New Paths: Health and Safety in Western Agriculture conference, November 11–13, 2008. An overview of changing demographics of the western agricultural workforce was provided followed by a presentation of the application of community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles including cultural considerations. Using an interview format, the panel participants discussed challenges related to involving members of vulnerable agricultural worker populations throughout the research process. Lessons learned and recommendations were explored and successes identified.

KEYWORDS:

• Commercial fishermen
• community-based participatory research
• cultural effectiveness
• Hispanic
• indigenous communities
• migrant farm workers
• Mixteco
• stakeholders in western agriculture
• Vietnamese

This work was partially supported by NIOSH Cooperative Agreement 2 U50 OH07541.

The authors specially thank panel members Sam Byrd, Dr. Noa Roman-Muniz, Valentin Sanchez, Nargess Shadbeh, and Trang Vu for active participation in preparing for this panel session, for their valuable time and effort given to the panel session, and for their commitment to the populations they serve. Special thanks also to coauthors Dr. Matthew Nonnenman and Dr. Sharon Huff for their instrumental roles in helping to coordinate the panel session and to record proceedings in photographic and written format.