American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Volume 40, Issue 5, 2001, Pages 490-501

Development of a life events/icon calendar questionnaire to ascertain occupational histories and other characteristics of migrant farmworkers (Article)

Zahm S.H.* , Colt J.S. , Engel L.S , Keifer M.C. , Alvarado A.J. , Burau K. , Butterfield P. , Caldera S. , Cooper S.P. , Garcia D. , Hanis C. , Hendrikson E. , Heyer N. , Hunt L.M. , Krauska M. , MacNaughton N. , McDonnell C.J. , Mills P.K. , Mull L.D , Nordstrom D.L. , Outterson B. , Slesinger D.P. , Smith M.A. , Stallones L. , Stephens C. , Sweeney A. , Sweitzer K. , Vernon S.W. , Blair A.
  • a Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Boulevard EPS 8074 20892-7242, Rockville, MD, United States
  • b Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Boulevard EPS 8074 20892-7242, Rockville, MD, United States
  • c Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Boulevard EPS 8074 20892-7242, Rockville, MD, United States
  • d University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
  • e California State University Fresno, Fresno, CA, United States
  • f University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • g Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
  • h California State University Fresno, Fresno, CA, United States
  • i University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • j Migrant Clinicians Network, Austin, TX, United States
  • k University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • l Plan de Salud del Valle, Longmont, Colorado, United States
  • m University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
  • n University of Texas School of Nursing, San Antonio, Texas, United States
  • o La Clinica, Wild Rose, Wisconsin, United States
  • p University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • q SRA Technologies, Inc, Falls Church, Virginia, United States
  • r Cancer Registry of Central California, Fresno, California, United States
  • s Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs, Arlington, Virginia, United States
  • t Marshfield Medical Research Foundation, (Currently at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Marshfield, Wisconsin, United States
  • u Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs, Arlington, Virginia, United States
  • v University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
  • w University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • x Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
  • y Montana Migrant Council Inc, Billings, Montana, United States
  • z University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • a Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
  • b University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • c Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Boulevard EPS 8074 20892-7242, Rockville, MD, United States

Abstract

Background: Specialized methods are necessary to collect data from migrant farmworkers for epidemiologic research. Methods: We developed a questionnaire that collected lifetime occupational histories and other lifestyle risk factors via a life events/icon calendar, and administered the questionnaire to a convenience sample of 162 migrant farmworkers in nine areas of the U.S. Results: The average duration of the interviews was about 1 h 30 min, with an average of 45 min for the work history section. The occupational histories covered a median of 27.6 years per person for men and 20.8 years per person for women. The median number of years spent in farm jobs was 11.3 for men and 5.8 for women. The median number of farm jobs (crop/task combination) per person was 59 among men and 27 among women. Many farmworkers performed the same crop/task combinations at multiple times throughout their lives, yielding a median of 13 unique farm jobs and 8 unique crops among men and 7 jobs and 5 crops among women. Conclusions: The project demonstrated that it is feasible to collect detailed work histories and other risk factor data from farmworkers, documented the complexity of work histories encountered among farmworkers, and yielded recommendations for refining a questionnaire that will facilitate future epidemiologic research on farmworkers. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

information processing Life Style agricultural worker human epidemiology middle aged life event medical research Agriculture Aged Feasibility Studies Hispanic Americans interview United States migrant worker Humans Adolescent male occupation female risk factor drawing Risk Factors questionnaire Article feasibility study history Questionnaires adult human experiment Epidemiologic Research Design normal human Transients and Migrants Mental Recall anamnesis employment Pilot Projects
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0035172177&doi=10.1002%2fajim.1117&partnerID=40&md5=16ffae64ee2015c7e4d62102b3cdf37f
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.1117
ISSN: 02713586
Cited by: 22
Original Language: English