Migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW's) are a vital asset to the U.S. $200 billion agricultural industry, which are two of the primary economies of the States of Oregon and Washington. Thousands of MSFW’s in these two neighbor states harvest the multiple fruits and vegetables that thrive there, so the country can have daily at their table delicious, healthy, plentiful and affordable foods. Unfortunately, these extremely vulnerable, hard-working, proud people and their families, lack availability and accessibility to affordable health care services, even though they are among the most disadvantaged, medically indigent persons and have the poorest health of any group in the United States. Using several research projects and multimedia sources we will point out why they have so many problems taking care of their health issues. The U.S. Public Health Service estimates that a total of 3.5 million MSFW’s live and work in the United States. From that total 174,484 work in Oregon & 289,235 work in Washington. The life expectancy of MSFW’s is 49 while the national average is 75 years. Review of Multimedia Sources in Regards to Access To Health Care for Migrant & Seasonal Farm Workers (MSFW’s) & Their Families in Oregon & Washington Shannon Paris Oscar Ramos HE 407 Migrant Health – Multimedia Advocacy Project Instructor : Daniel Lopez-Cevallos, PhD, MPH Western Oregon University INTRODUCTION FINANCIAL BARRIERS FOR HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND HARSH LABOR CONDITIONS Lack of Health Insurance Most MSFW’s do not have health insurance leading workers to forgo preventive & acute medical care due to the high cost of medical services. Resources: Migrant & Seasonal Farm Workers: Health Insurance Coverage & Access to Health Care Kaiser Commission on Medicaid & The Uninsured This brief provides an overview of MSFW’s and the health challenges they face and considers options for improving their health coverage and access to care Delivery of Health Services to Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers Thomas A. Arcury, Sara A. Quandt Annual Review of Public Health , This review evaluates the delivery of health services to farmworkers. It describes the MSFW’s population in the U.S., noting characteristics that limit their access to and utilization of health services. MiVIA (video). Healthcare 360: Monitoring American Access A video presentation of a program that started in California so MSFW's can have access to their health records anywhere they move or travel during their labors. They can be open anywhere there is an internet connection so their clinicians can review immediately their health histories. California’s Harvest of Shame. United Farm Workers. s_multi&b_no=4 A very powerful video that shows some of the harsh conditions where MSFW's work in and the total disregard from their employers for their health care outcomes MULTIMEDIA ARTICLES & VIDEOS EXAMPLES Busssel, R. et al. Understanding the Immigrant Experience in Oregon: Research, Analysis, and Recommendations from University of Oregon Scholars. Derose K.P, Escarce J.J., Lurie N. (2007) Immigrants and Health Care: Sources of Vulnerability. Health Affairs 26: Franzini L., Fernandez-Esquer M.E., (2004). Socioeconomic, cultural, and personal influences on health outcomes in low income Mexican-origin individuals in Texas. Social Science & Medicine 59: Holmes S.M. (2006). An ethnographic study of the social context of migrant health in the United States. PLoS Medicine 3, (10):e document&doi= /journal.pmed &ct=1 The Kaiser Family Foundation, (2008). Kaiser Commission on Key Facts: Summary – Five Basic Facts on Immigrants and their Health Care. Larsen A. Environmental / Occupational Safety and Health. Migrant Health Issues. Monographs No2. Washington, DC: National Center for Farmworker Health Livingston G., Minushkin S., Cohn D.V. (2008). Hispanics and Health Care in the United States: Access, Information and Knowledge. Washington DC: Pew Hispanic Center and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; p Meredith K., (2007). Immigrants in the U.S. Health Care System: Five Myths That Misinform the American Public. Center for American Progress. Orozco M, Castillo N, (2008). Latino migrants: A profile on remittances, finances, and health. Washington, DC: Inter-American Dialogue. eneric.pdf REFERENCES Farmworkers Feeds All of Us, The Labor and Health of Migrants in Maine; Migrant Clinicians Network; This is a wonderful media presentation that explains well what MSFW’s do for us and gives us ideas of what we can do for them. Even though is not from the applicable researched area, it still is a good introduction to the topics at hand. The Migrant Project; Rick Nahmias; This is another amazing photo presentation about migrants and seasonal farm workers in California. This pictures have become part of a traveling exhibit going countrywide raising awareness for MSFW's MULTIMEDIA PICTURES EXAMPLES