Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117413

Antoinette Angulo, MPH, CHES¹, Scott Neal, BA², Dave Pearson, PhD³, Emily Bourcier, MPH, MHA¹, and Roger Valdez, MA⁴. (1) Evaluation Team, Group Health Community Foundation, 1730 Minor Ave., Suite 1500, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 287-2399, angulo.a@ghc.org, (2) Tobacco Prevention Program, Public Health-Seattle & King County, 999 3rd Ave, Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98104, (3) Center for Community Health and Evaluation, Group Health Community Foundation, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1500, Seattle, WA 98101, (4) Public Health-Seattle and King County, Tobacco Prevention Program, 999 3rd Ave., Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98104

Both public health and labor unions have a vested interest in monitoring and maintaining a healthy workforce. The Seattle-area health department and a local union representing hospitality industry workers partnered to assess union members' working conditions and exposure to hazardous chemicals (including secondhand smoke). The mail survey was sanctioned and promoted by the union and administered by the health department, with survey design expertise provided by a local community foundation.

In the design of this needs assessment priority was given to establishing trust between the partners, with emphasis on how best the survey data could benefit the union and its members. Results of a previous pilot project strongly influenced both the questionnaire design and the data collection strategies. Major challenges in the survey effort included: limitations within the public health infrastructure (e.g. the ability to provide mailed incentives and receive completed questionnaires at the health department's mailing address); mistrust and language barriers among the target population (hospitality industry workers); and present-day realities of low response rates.

Presenters will discuss 1) strategies to best utilize public health resources in light of policy and procedure restrictions; 2) special considerations to take when using the Tailor Designed Method of data collection (Dillman, 2000) with this unique population, 3) opportunities and challenges in achieving satisfactory response rates, and 4) recommendations for future survey efforts that target union organizations.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Understand how the Tailor Designed Method was adapted to query hospitality industry union members.
• Apply lessons learned from this partnership to future opportunities in workplace assessments and policy development.

Related Web page: www.metrokc.gov/health/news/05012701.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF I was contracted by Public Health-Seattle & King County to conduct this assessment..