This is a pilot study designed to collect initial data on the current occupational health status of Southeast Asians in Lowell, Massachusetts; identify barriers to services among these workers; and refine data collection and intervention methodologies in preparation for a larger research project. The principal objectives of this study are to describe workplace hazards commonly faced by workers from some of the largest ethnic minority groups in Lowell, Massachusetts; compare data from existing sources and community-based research regarding common work-related injuries and acute illnesses among these workers; and identify barriers to their accessing preventive and curative occupational health services. Data collected will be used to design interventions in cooperation with relevant agencies and employers. The results of these activities will be used to identify measurable outcomes for use in a large-scale demonstration project.
The specific aims are to collect and compare data on work-related acute health effects among Lowell residents of Southeast Asian heritage from Emergency Department and Department of Industrial Accidents records and household surveys. Discussions will be conducted among workers, representatives of government agencies, and representatives of community organizations to identify methods for enhancing minority access to preventive and curative occupational health services. At least two Lowell-area employers will be identified who are interested in cooperating with workers and researchers to alleviate hazardous conditions in their business. The development of the inter-agency intervention plan and pilot employer identification implemented in this study will be used to determine the feasibility and potential usefulness of these specific types of interventions in the future. The results of these pilot efforts will be used to determine whether these approaches merit further refinement, larger-scale application, and evaluation for their effect on defined outcome measures. If it is determined that any of these approaches show promise for further study and full-scale evaluation, results will be used to develop recommendations for modifications and improvements in these methods.
