RESPIRAR hosted a workshop with the community advisory committee members to discuss barriers and access points to healthcare for farmworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic. From left to right: Dr. Devon Payne-Sturges, Ellis Ballard, Esther Rojas, Amy K. Liebman, Stephanie Hernandez, and Annabel Hofmann.

RESPIRAR recently facilitated a workshop in Salisbury, Maryland, to examine how state regulations affect farmworkers’ health. The event highlighted critical barriers, along with potential solutions, for improving respiratory health outcomes among migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

Held in April, the workshop brought together community advisory committee members, organizational partners, and other advocates to share real-world experiences. Using a participatory method known as Group Model Building, participants collaborated with RESPIRAR researchers to map out factors affecting the success of policies and programs aimed at protecting farmworker health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The workshop focused on three key objectives:

Understanding barriers and support systems for existing health protections and policies.
Introducing Group Model Building as a research tool and providing participants with hands-on practice using the method.
Gathering input from advisory members to help shape future workshops with other stakeholder groups.

What we learned

Participants identified several recurring themes:

Digital Divide: As health services shifted online during the pandemic, farmworkers without internet access or digital tools were left behind. This deepened an existing gap in access to care and vital information.

Parallel Barriers: Both farmworkers and farm owners/operators face obstacles, including low health literacy and limited access to technology. Participants emphasized the need for clear, concise language and non-digital outreach strategies.

Continuity of Care: Farmworkers often lose access to care as they move between jobs and locations. Participants emphasized the importance of building trust, ensuring warm handoffs between providers, and helping workers stay connected to services to help ensure consistent and effective support.

Systemic Inequality: Participants highlighted how polices and social structures have historically excluded farmworkers from labor protections and contribute to ongoing perceptions and treatment of farmworkers. They are often viewed as exploitable laborers rather than full members of society.

Why this matters

The insights gathered during the workshop inform RESPIRAR’s ongoing work to improve respiratory health protections for farmworkers. Future workshops will engage a range of stakeholders, including farmworkers, growers and employers, advocates, and policymakers representing select Mid-Atlantic states. Engaging with diverse stakeholders will help us better understand real-world perspectives and co-develop solutions.