Creating information resources and trainings for farmworker-serving community health workers

• Published in: Journal of the Medical Library Association Vol. 110; no. 1; pp. 113 - 118
• Main Authors: Bloss, Jamie E, LePrevost, Catherine E, Cofie, Leslie E, Lee, Joseph G L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Medical Library Association 01.01.2022; University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
• Subjects: Case Report; Community health aides; Community Health Workers; Consumer Health Information; Farmers; farmworkers; Focus Groups; Health aspects; Health Literacy; health promotion; healthcare disparities; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; information literacy; Information Seeking Behavior; Information sources; Librarians; Management; Medical advice systems; Professional development; Services; Software; Training; United States; United States; health literacy; community health workers; minority health; information literacy; health promotion; healthcare disparities; farmworkers
• ISSN: 1536-5050; 1558-9439
• DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2022.1272

Farmworker-serving community health workers have limited access to farmworker health research findings, training, and education resources. With funding from the National Library of Medicine, we are working to improve the health information literacy of both community health workers and farmworkers. We conducted focus group discussions with community health workers to explore their experiences providing health education and information to farmworkers, their information-seeking behaviors, and their technology and information needs. Data from the focus groups provided insights into the main areas in which community health workers would like to receive professional development. Our team, which includes health sciences librarians, developed a resource list of educational materials for farmworker health, videos to increase community health workers' skills finding health information online, and webinars to introduce these resources to community health workers. Videos, available in Spanish and English, included instruction on finding and evaluating online health information, accessing reputable online consumer health information sources, and advanced searching tips for Google and PubMed. Through three webinars, we introduced the resource list, videos, and design software for creating handouts and infographics to community health workers. Community health workers have a critical role in providing health education and information to farmworkers, and our efforts represent a first step in addressing community health workers' limited access to professional development. Health sciences librarians are well positioned to partner with interdisciplinary teams working to reduce health disparities and provide resources and training to community health workers, farmworkers, and other underserved communities.