¡Bienvenido Trabajadores Agrícolas de Adams County! Cómo se puede protegerse contra la Tuberculosis

A los efectos de esta presentación, por favor ponganse sus máscaras para protegerse a sí mismo y a los demás.

Welcome Adams County Farming Workers! How you can protect yourselves against Tuberculosis

You are here Tú estás aquí You live here Vives aqui

Why am I here? ¿Por qué estoy aquí?  Is Mexico your country of origin?  Do you currently work on a fruit farm in Adams County on a seasonal basis?  Do you live with 2 or more people in close quarters during the work season?  If you got sick, would you be able to miss work?  Would you know where to go or who to see about your symptoms?  Have you been assessed by an American Doctor to be cleared of Tuberculosis?  Mexican immigrant farmer workers are classified as a “vulnerable population” due to the:  Current working and living conditions,  Immigration status (born outside of the US),  Inability to miss work during infectious period,  Little or perceived little access to healthcare.

Am I at risk? ¿Corro riesgo?  Department of Health and Human Services defines a migrant as “an individual whose principal employment is in agriculture on a seasonal basis, who has been so employed within the last 24 months, and who establishes for the purpose of such employment a temporary abode” (Cason, et. als, 2004)  Immigrant workers are at a high risk for transmission of Tuberculosis.  Tuberculosis is primarily a lung infection that is spread from airborne droplets. These droplets come from breathing, coughing, sneezing, talking, etc. They can remain in the air for minutes to hours.  Requires prolonged or frequent exposure to become infected.

Should I get checked? ¿Debo ser examinado?  You should be screened if you are:  A foreign born persons with high TB prevalence (i.e. Mexico);  In close contact of persons known or suspected to have TB;  And sharing the same household or other enclosed spaces.  Many living conditions for the immigrant workers are barracks-style compounds, which typically house four men or an entire family to a room that include a communal kitchen and bath.  Therefore, closing living spaces and constant contact are inevitable.  The barriers of this population to seeking treatment include financial, language, and knowledge.

What can we do? ¿Qué podemos hacer ?  Due to the recent TB outbreak in this region among the workers, this coalition has been started to educate the workers and employers.  We are here today to educate you on signs and symptoms, how you can prevent the spread, and where you can go for medical help.  Our aim and plan is to educate so that we can prevent another outbreak. Stopping it before it can start is the best way to manage this disease.

Steps to Prevention Pasos para la Prevención 1. Identify locations of population at risk 2. Provide education to the at risk population 3. Gain support in the local communities by sending out volunteers to provide necessary care/treatment 4. Assess for supplemental needs of the community 1. Example: nutrition. This population does not have the funds for the “healthy options” or for even more than 1 meal a day. Need to increase nutrition to be able to fight off infection or for recovery. 5. Garner support from the Government to aid with immigration status changes 1. Temporary worker status, green cards, or full citizenship

Where can I be screened? ¿Dónde puedo hacer el examen de tuberculosis ?  We are currently working with your employers, local clinics, and schools.  Screening would be located in the public schools, local free clinics, temporary mobile clinics, and tents on site at the farms/orchards and would be provided free of charge.  Reassurance from the Government would be required, to ensure that people would not be penalized for their immigration status while attending the clinic  Ideally, 2 Step PPD tests would be given to all patients.  However, due to time and location constraints, the one step test would be more preferable.

What if I am positive? ¿Y si los resultados son positivo?  Once infected individuals have been identified, treatment will be provided at no cost to the individual and at-risk household members.  As treatment is lengthy, public health nurses dedicated to monitoring and helping maintain drug regiments would be hired and permanent facilities would be used for this long term course.  These nurses would aid with compliance in the administration of medications.

How it is no cost to me? ¿Cómo puede ser gratis para mí?  Funding for these prevention and treatment methods would come from the local and state funds.  We would also petitioning the federal government to reallocate back some of the current foreign aid that the United States provides Mexico to help combat TB.  Lastly, we will work with the farm and orchard owners to hold them more accountable for the health conditions and welfare of their workers.

Thank you! ¡Gracias!