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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Martha S. Vela Acosta, MD, MS, PhD, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, UTHSC, School of Public Health, Brownsville, Regional Campus, 80 Fort Brown, 1.220D RAHC-SPH Building, University of Texas, Brownsville, TX 78521, 956-882-5163, martha.s.vela.acosta@uth.tmc.edu, Diamond Freeberg, EdD, Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Brownsville, 80 Fort Brown South 225, Brownsville, TX 78521, and Belinda M. Reininger, PhD, Division of Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, 80 Fort Brown, RAHC-SPH Building, University of Texas, Brownsville, Regional Campus, Brownsville, TX 78521.

Adolescents and Hispanics are two vulnerable worker populations often underrepresented in occupational health research. Yet, about 80% adolescents work for pay while attending high school. During 1992 – 2000, an annual average of 67 workers under 18 years of age died from work-related injuries. In 2004-2005, Hispanic students had 40 to 49% school drop-out rates in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The importance of work and context in developing adolescents' competence and perceptions on school performance deserve special consideration.

Hispanic adolescents' perceptions while attending high school and working on: school performance, desire to pursue a college degree, and self-efficacy by occupations were assessed in the LRGV. Data were gathered via seven focus groups (n = 9 to 11 each, 72 total) and questionnaires for self-efficacy ranking. All focus groups data were transcribed and theme analysis was conducted using ATLAS ti 5.0.

Themes identified included socioeconomic status, family pressure to work, managing course load, and the importance of positive work experiences. Potential barriers for school success were lack of family support and financial constraints. Self-efficacy responses indicated students did not feel confident in their high school training for employment in several occupations.

Study implications included addressing the need for effective family-centered approaches including financial support for Hispanic adolescents. Research is needed to investigate the significance of perceived self-efficacy and the healthy worker effect among adolescents. High school occupational training is needed that includes counseling students about the cost and benefits of working while in school as well as pursuing higher education.

Learning Objectives: