title: Hispanic migrant farm workers' attitudes toward mobile phone-based telehealth for management of chronic health conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mobile phone-based interventions present a means of providing high quality health care to hard-to-reach underserved populations. Migrant farm workers (MFWs) are among the most underserved populations in the United States due to a high prevalence of chronic diseases yet limited access to health care. However, it is unknown if MFWs have access to mobile phone devices used in mobile health (mHealth) interventions, or if they are willing to use such technologies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine rates of ownership of mobile devices and willingness to use mHealth strategies in MFWs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A demonstration of mHealth devices and a survey were individually administered to 80 Hispanic MFWs to evaluate use of mobile phones and mHealth devices and willingness to use such technologies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 80 participants, 81% (65/80) owned cell phones capable of sending and receiving health-related messages. Most participants (65/80, 81%) were receptive to using mHealth technology and felt it would be helpful in enhancing medication adherence, self-monitoring health conditions, and receiving quicker medication changes from their doctors (median scores ≥4 on 5-point Likert scales). Relations between age and attitudes toward using mHealth were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hispanic MFWs have access to mobile phones and are willing to use mHealth devices. Future work is needed to comprehensively evaluate the degree to which these devices could be used.
authors.affiliation: National Crime Victims Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCandless
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gregoski
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brunner-Jackson
authors.forename: Eveline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Treiber
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Treiber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D001294:Attitude to Health; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013022:South Carolina; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: health care disparities; hypertension; mobile phone; rural health