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

Abstract #96653

Christie K. Vila, PhD, School of Medicine Comprehensive Drug Research Center, University of Miami, 1801 NW 9th Ave., Ste 300 (D-93), Miami, FL 33149, (305) 365-3629, cvila@med.miami.edu and H. Virginia McCoy, PhD, Stempel School of Public Health, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street (VH238), Miami, FL 33199.

Background: A balanced and integrated approach incorporating behavior, lifestyle, and cultural approaches to health are essential to building field operations that advance the principles of results-oriented behavioral and bio-medical research. A multi-media approach will be employed to report on the process involved in achieving an 85% follow-up rate, high for a longitudinal study requiring multiple visits from a transient population (N=250). A solid model of indigenous community outreach combining epidemiology and medical anthropology is documented through field reports, focus group results, and other process and outcome data. Methods: The five year NIDA-funded intervention provided anonymous blood testing and compared two alternating styles of health education. Operations were established in a remote rural migrant town in South Florida where substance abuse and HIV/AIDS incidence are predominant relative to population statistics. Participants were enrolled using rigorous indigenous outreach strategies and followed-up over one year, responding to the same survey at 7 intervals to track changes in behavior, lifestyle, and health determinants related to efficacy of educational sessions. Findings: The indigenous outreach model took shape organically and increased number of visits while decreasing stigma. Key to the team's success was the ability to develop a safe-haven in the local community where participants felt secure about confidentiality and quality of HIV/AIDS information. This enhanced field research model, emerging out of the NIDA community outreach strategy informed about HIV/AIDS, provided employment for locals, served the migrant community through free testing, emergency donations, and produced high quality quantitative and qualitative data.

Learning Objectives: Participants in this section will be able to

(
• Describe medical anthropology as a core component in strengthening applied behavioral and bio-medical research for Hispanic migrants by incorporating considerations regarding behavior, lifestyle, and determinants of health into recruiting and outcome strategies; (
• Design effective indigenous outreach plans and tracking methodologies for improving research operations in transient/migrant areas; (
• Evaluate and replicate the emergent model for applied research for migrant communities along the rural-urban continuum

Keywords: Migrant Farm Workers, Rural Communities

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 commercial supporters.