Research issues related to vulnerable workers

In this session, a group of presentations will illustrate a variety of 1) challenges in reaching vulnerable worker populations, 2) experiences with vulnerable worker populations using a mix of research strategies and approaches, and 3) results that illuminate the need to expand our concepts of who is vulnerable, depending on context and as factors that influence vulnerability shift. The overall goal is to stimulate discussion about the broad context through which work can contribute to disparities in health. Each presenter will describe experiences with a different worker population, describing their approach, challenges encountered, and brief illustrative findings. Topics and worker populations include: 1) Health-related quality of life among African American women in low-wage jobs in rural NC; 2) Work organization factors associated with musculoskeletal injury among nurse's aides at a large tertiary care center; 3) Work hazard assessment among university housekeepers; 4) Evaluation of a participatory health and safety intervention with Latino immigrant construction workers; and 5) Factors influencing vulnerability of construction apprentices. While these presentations all focus on vulnerability issues they also cross a number of other areas of expressed interest to the section this year including ergonomic and psychosocial aspects of occupational health, as well as use of qualitative and quantitative research methods and union-based research. The presenters include faculty, staff, and students from 4 different university environments.