The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40964

Pilar-Alicia Parra, PhD, Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, 3M7 MVR Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, 607- 255 0063, pap2@cornell.edu

Recent U.S. Labor Department data indicate that almost 80 percent of all U.S. farm workers are Mexican born, and about half are in the country illegally. These workers are found in some of the most remote rural communities, and increasingly are settling in those communities. Sometimes they are easily integrated into the communities, but other times their presence creates tensions with long-time residents. One set of challenges in areas reliant on foreign agricultural labor is to facilitate immigrant integration into the community. But recent studies of immigrant assimilation have also highlighted the need for receiving communities to assimilate elements of immigrants’ culture as well. In a multi-cultural society assimilation is no longer seen as a one-way process of immigrant adaptation to the dominant culture, but as mutually reinforcing changes in both the immigrant and receiving communities. One challenge is to involve the newcomers in the use of health and other human services, and in the development of services tailored to their specific needs. This study reports on selected rural communities in upstate New York on: 1) immigrant and community characteristics that facilitate integration; 2) mechanisms implemented to improve immigrant use of key services like health care, education, and other services. This study employs a qualitative approach of focus groups and semi structured in-depth interviews of key informants including local elected officials, leaders of civil organizations, social service providers and settled families. The immigrant experience of two ethnic groups living in three rural communities is compared.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the barriers encountered by immigrants when settling in rural communities.
• Articulate the factors that influence long term residents in the acceptance or rejection of new immigrants.
• Identify community programs that promote community integration.

Keywords: Community Participation, Latino Caucus

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.