248941 Measuring intimate partner violence among farmworkers in San Diego County, California: An exploratory study

Monday, October 31, 2011

Carol B. Cunradi, MPH, PhD , Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Berkeley, CA
Michael Duke, PhD , Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation, Berkeley, CA
Background and Objective: Little is known about intimate partner violence (IPV) among farmworkers. Given the demands of agricultural labor, farmworkers are susceptible to occupation-specific stressors that may result in relationship conflict, and thereafter IPV. Hazardous drinking may further increase the IPV risk. This study estimated IPV prevalence among a sample of farmworkers in San Diego County, and assessed the association of potential IPV correlates. Methods: Unrelated male (n=37) and female (n=61) farmworkers were recruited via a snowball sampling approach. Bilingual interviewers conducted survey data collection using standardized instruments. Past-12 month IPV was measured with the CTS2; farmwork-related stress was measured with the Migrant Farm Work Stress Inventory (MFWSI); hazardous drinking was measured with the AUDIT. Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to test the contribution of independent variables to the likelihood of IPV. Results: IPV prevalence was 16% among females and 32% among males. Significant IPV correlates among males were hazardous drinking (OR=1.16; 95% CI 1.02, 1.32); among females, impulsivity (OR=3.38; 95% CI 1.37, 8.31). Although MFWSI scores were not significantly associated with IPV, the factor encompassing ‘work conditions' was correlated with IPV perpetration for both men and women (r=.20; p<0.05). Conclusion: Findings suggest that married/cohabiting farmworkers experience IPV at similar rates as community-based or general household population samples, and that poor working conditions may be associated with IPV. Additional research is warranted to explore the role of working conditions, acculturation- and job stress, drinking, and other personal characteristics and environmental factors in precipitating IPV among this under-researched farmworker population.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Describe the importance of examining the contribution of work-related stressors and other factors, such as hazardous drinking, to risk for intimate partner violence among farmworkers. 2. Evaluate findings that suggest that work conditions are correlated with partner violence perpetration among male and female farmworkers. 3. Recognize the importance of conducting additional research among farmworkers that explores how environmental factors, such as working conditions, as well drinking and other personal characteristics, are related to risk for intimate partner violence.

Keywords: Family Violence, Workplace Stressors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I am an expert on intimate partner violence and environmental factors.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.