title: Respiratory fit testing for farmworkers in the Black Dirt region of Hudson Valley, New York.
abstract: Respiratory protection in agriculture has lagged behind other industries. Migrant farmworkers often work in dusty environments yet do not receive appropriate, fitted respiratory protection. During May and June of 2013, researchers pilot-tested a respiratory protection program adapted to fit the unique needs of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. It was implemented in Spanish, with literacy support, at convenient times and locations. Additionally, staff was known to workers, and a farmworker medical center provided medical follow-up. Fifty-six farmworkers participated (68%; 82 invited). Of the participants, 88% were male; 20% reported using respiratory protection. One worker had been fit tested previously; 57% reported being exposed to pesticides. All but six farmworkers passed the medical clearance (91%). The mask most commonly fit to the American-born population was a good fit for only 41% of Latino farmworkers. The fact that two thirds of invited farmworkers participated in the clearance and over half completed mask fitting indicates that the modified protocol meets farmworker needs. A wide range of mask types should be made available for Latino farmworkers.
authors.affiliation: a New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Bassett Healthcare , Cooperstown , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Earle-Richardson
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fiske
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wyckoff
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shuford
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: May
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000383:Agriculture; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices / Q000592:standards; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Migrant farmworker; respiratory fit testing; respiratory illness; respiratory protection