Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #97868

Karen D. Liller, PhD, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612 and Irene Pintado, Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, 813-974-6685, ipintado@hsc.usf.edu.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate the Kids and Communities Count Farm Safety Lesson that used the North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks (NAGCAT) to reach fifth-grade rural students in Hillsborough County, Florida. Methods: The lesson was administered in two leading migrant schools and included a parent survey and a presentation at the Hispanic Health Fiesta. The Fiesta presentation was also evaluated with a survey. The lesson covers animal, machinery, water, and general safety topics applicable to farming in Florida. A staggered pretest-posttest study design was followed whereby School 1 received a multiple-choice pretest and posttest (N=74 students) and School 2 (N=91 students) received the posttest only. Parent and community surveys were analyzed for lesson appeal, knowledge, and common safety themes. Results: Results of the study showed a significant increase in the mean number of correct answers on the students' matched posttests compared to the pretests (p=.024). There was no significant difference in the mean number of correct answers of those students who received the pretest and those students who had not, eliminating a “pretest” effect (p=.135). The results of the parent and community surveys showed that the lesson was well-received and the children were reportedly practicing safer behaviors however there was a need to better address pesticide safety. Conclusions: This study shows the efficacy of this lesson in improving farm safety knowledge among migrant school children and also the applicability and acceptance of the lesson by parents and community members.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session the participants will be able to

• Describe the content and evaluation methods of the Kids and Communities Count Farm Safety Lesson.
• Discuss the evaluation results of the Kids and Communities Count Farm Safety Lesson in terms of students' knowledge gains and the findings of the parent and community surveys.
• Articulate future directions for education and research related to this farm safety intervention.

Keywords: Migrant Farm Workers, Children

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation