Conducting a Large Public Health Data Collection Project in Uganda: Methods, Tools, and Lessons Learned

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bakengesa E ; Barnhart S ; Bernhardt J ; Borse NN ; Hagopian A ; Hurley E ; Kiwanuka N ; Lim T ; Lubega F ; Luboga SA ; Makumbi F ; Mukooyo E ; Namubiru A ; Ndizihiwe A ; Sheppard L ; Stover B ; Wood A
• Description:
  The recent article by Ahonen et al. in AJPH's special section on work emphasized the importance of incorporating work as a key concept in population health inequities research. We agree that the use of an ecosocial framework that encompasses work as a key concept to fully grasp health inequities and promote our nation's health is germane and long overdue. We appreciate the authors' acknowledgment of the role of intersectionality of social constructs such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, and immigration on the health of the working population, which echoes others' work. We further move the discussion to a specific group that remains at the core of population and occupational health disparities: immigrant workers. Immigrant workers constitute a large proportion of our invaluable yet vulnerable workforce, notably in occupations that require low skills, pay low wages, and have job characteristics that increase their exposures to occupational hazards. In light of the current climate in which population health, occupational health, and immigration policies are at the forefront of debates, this is the time to pay attention to our working immigrant population-specifically, how their experiences within and outside of work affect their health-promoting behaviors and overall health and well-being. Different disciplines have documented various ecosocial stressors and protective factors associated with immigrant worker health. Stressors include language and cultural barriers, demands of their transborder relationships (also known as transnationalism, whereby individuals maintain active relationships with friends and family in their home countries, including remittances), exposures to occupational hazards, and demands of acculturation. Protective factors include health insurance access, social support, and immigrant institutions and communities. We have yet to understand fully the dynamics of these factors and their short- and long-term effects on immigrant worker health. For instance, immigrants earning the exact or less than the federal minimum wage and send part of their income to care for family in their home country can be burdened. Yet these relationships also can be protective factors because social relationships and support have positive effects on health and well-being. We have come a long way in terms of occupational health and population health inequities research in line with a culture of health for the nation. The article by Ahonen et al. is proof of this evolution. Now that we know to include "work" in population health inequities research, a better integrated, interdisciplinary approach, especially for immigrant workers, will be vital to advancing the health equity agenda. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Promotion HIV Occupational Health Public Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Health Services Research Data Collection Method Global Health Health Promotion Health Services Health System Strengthening Human Immunodeficiency Virus Limited-resource Setting Policy Project Management Public Health Public Health Evaluation Research Context Research Implementation Research Partnership

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• ISSN:
  1712-851X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 4 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  14
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20063834
• Citation:
  J Res Pract 2018 May; 14(1):M1
• Contact Point Address:
  Bert Stover, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
• Email:
  bstover@uw.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Research Practice
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:17b47a03037414d2817b56ea713dc7ed45d666f0565bd5851cfbd3563b7a60e1ea86420d5cf751e2e3c317e1ef6e41d58fab5da8dca2a2ae4f655be0cafa11f8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222381/cdc_222381_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 497.49 KB ]