Prepare today for peace of mind tomorrow: Emergency preparedness among Latino immigrants

In California, natural and man-made disasters are particularly common with its earthquakes, wildfires, and seasonal floods. County health agencies have taken an active approach through the Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness & Response (EHEPR) Departments to help communities to prepare, respond and recover from these crises. However, underserved communities like ones found in Eastern Coachella Valley (CV), California are often not included in the resource allocation, planning, or preparedness for complex emergencies. Communities in CV are predominantly agricultural, made up of Latino migrant farm workers with limited English proficiency. These communities have fewer resources, high infrastructure vulnerabilities, geographical, cultural, and language barriers. This pilot study tests the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach as a link between the Riverside County Public Health Department and the rural communities in CV. Formative research was conducted using key informant interviews, confirmatory focus groups, windshield surveys, and GIS demographic mapping. Data was transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Two quantitative baseline surveys were administered to EHEPR workforce to determine their perceived role in emergency preparedness for low income and language isolated communities. Another survey was administered to household residents, selected using random block sampling, to determine their capacity to deal with emergencies. Findings have informed the development of a culturally and linguistically appropriate community program based on a lay community health worker (promotora) model. This study aims to forge a more active partnership between local health departments and residents of underserved communities with the aim of creating a sustainable community-focused emergency preparedness system and environmental justice.