Ascertainment of pesticide exposures of migrant and seasonal farmworker children: Findings from focus groups

Abstract

Background To design questionnaires for epidemiologic research among children of migrant farmworkers, researchers need to consider ways to best solicit information about pesticide exposures. Methods Bilingual facilitators conducted ®ve focus groups with either migrant farmworker mothers or their children (age range 8±16 years) in southern Texas and northeastern Colorado. Guided questions were used to assess activities of migrant farmworker children and the ways to best elicit information about exposure to pesticides. Results Participants reported a large number of activities that may potentially expose children to pesticides through both direct and indirect routes. Prompting, indirect questions about chemical use, and use of local and trusted facilitators increased information elicited from focus group participants. Conclusions These focus groups helped to provide information for developing questionnaire items related to pesticide exposure among migrant farmworker children, and highlighted the importance of using bilingual community interviewers and including children as respondents.

The SIMPOC Philippine Survey of Children 2001: A Data Source for Analyzing Occupational Injuries to Children

“…As new instruments and methodologies for collecting occupational injury data are piloted in different countries, special consideration is needed when interviewing children. 27,41,42 While most epidemiological research shares many of the challenges discussed in the following sections, we focus on certain limitations such as sample selection and survey and questionnaire design that should be considered when examining occupational injuries specific to working children.…”

Seasonal and Migrant Agricultural Workers: A Neglected Work Force

“…One girl stated when she was 7 years old, she helped with cutting asparagus and wheat. Another girl stated when she was a baby, her parents took her into the field with them while they worked (Cooper, 2001). This study also compiled a list of activities that increased children's exposure to pesticides.…”

Qualitative environmental health research: an analysis of the literature, 1991-2008

“…For example, includ-ing children in focus groups about exposure to pesticides enabled the identification of a "large number of activities that may poten-tially expose children to pesticides through both direct and indirect routes" (Cooper et al 2001). A dozen studies examined the perceived and actual exposures to residents living near pollution sources, including heavily industrial areas (Bush et al 2001), solid waste facilities (Elliot 1998; Eyles et al 1993;Taylor et al 1991), confined area feed operations (Tu et al 1997;Wing et al 2008), mining operations (Moffatt and Pless-Mulloli 2003), and sites of a contamination event or disaster (Barnes et al 2002;Messias and Lacy 2007;Shriver et al 1998).…”