Interagency Networks: Foundation for Community-based OSH Intervention Research

描述（由申请人提供）：美国的关键健康问题集中在健康状况，医疗保健机会和健康结果方面的显着差异。特别令人关切的是与种族和移民身份有关的差异。与本土出生的少数族裔移民相比，他们从事低工资和本质上危险的工作的比例过高，在这些工作中，他们面临着更大的接触危险、受伤和生病的风险。考虑到有证据表明低工资移民工人的工作场所方法相对不成功，我们的动力是通过转向以社区为中心、以网络为导向的策略来推进职业健康（OH）研究，以此作为解决移民工人OH差异的手段。机构间网络和伙伴关系对于建设社区能力和提高连接目标人群和在社区提供干预措施的效率是不可或缺的。共同族裔机构——由同一族裔或国家背景的个人建立和管理的机构——是未得到充分利用的社区资产，能够为拟议的促进移民工人健康的合作方法提供必要的基础。本研究的目的是了解华人社区机构间网络，以社区为基础的方法来促进中国移民工人的健康。具体的研究目标是：目标1：表征中国和非中国机构/组织之间的机构间网络；目标2：描述中国和非中国机构或组织在移民工人健康方面的组织能力（承诺、资源、组织灵活性）。将采用“扩大名册”抽样方法，通过与代表每个机构行政和服务方面的工作人员（举报人）联合面谈，收集机构网络和能力数据。最初的名册（n=40个机构）将扩大，包括作为面谈的一部分由举报人指定的新机构，大大扩大所收集的网络数据的范围，最后的抽样数目约为60个机构。网络属性将使用单模网络分析来指定；图形将提供网络结构的可视化。将使用描述性统计分析各组织的能力，并使用摘要矩阵格式将其与网络调查结果结合起来。调查结果将提供有关中国和非中国机构如何参与中国移民工人健康的直接和实用知识，哪些网络联系和机构对接触工人至关重要，哪些联系可能需要加强，以扩大和维持社区的预防工作。这些信息将用于指导R01干预研究的发展。这一发展项目响应了国家卫生议程（NIOSH）提出的研究呼吁，并为确定有目的的社区联系和社区卫生保健差异研究的伙伴关系提供了一种新的方法方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Critical health concerns in the United States are focused on the marked disparities in health status, health care access and health outcomes. Of particular concern are disparities associated with ethnicity and immigrant status. Immigrant ethnic minorities, compared to their native-born counterparts, are overrepresented in low wage and intrinsically dangerous jobs, in which they experience greater risks of hazard exposure, injury, and illness. Considering evidence documenting relatively unsuccessful worksite approaches with low-wage immigrant workers, our impetus is to advance occupational health (OH) research by shifting to community- focused, network-oriented strategies as a means for addressing OH disparities among immigrant workers. Interagency networks and partnerships are integral to building community capacities and efficiency of connecting target populations and delivery of interventions in the community. Co-ethnic agencies-those established and managed by individuals of the same ethnic or national background-are underutilized community assets capable of providing essential building blocks for the proposed collaborative approach for the promotion of immigrant worker health. The purpose of this research is to generate knowledge about Chinese community interagency networks for community-based approaches to promote the health of Chinese immigrant workers. The specific study aims are Aim 1: to characterize interagency networks among Chinese and non-Chinese agencies/organizations; and Aim 2: to describe organizational capacities (commitment, resources, organizational flexibility) of Chinese and non-Chinese agencies or organizations for immigrant worker health. Using an 'expanding roster' sampling method, agency network and capacities data will be gathered through joint interviews with workers (informants) representing the administrative and service aspects of each agency. The initial roster (n=40 agencies) will be expanded by including new agencies named by informants as part of the interview, significantly broadening the range of network data collected, with a final sample size of about 60 agencies. Network properties will be specified using a one-mode network analysis; graphics will provide visualizations of network structures. Organizational capacities will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and integrated with network findings using a summary matrix format. Findings will provide direct and practical knowledge about how Chinese and non-Chinese agencies are involved in Chinese immigrant worker health, which network links and agencies are critical for reaching workers, and which links might require augmentation to expand and sustain prevention efforts in the community. The information will be used to guide the development of an R01 intervention study. This developmental project responds to research calls set forth for the national health agenda (NIOSH) and offers a novel methodological approach for determining purposeful community connections and partnerships for community-based OH disparities research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Immigrants experience greater health disparities due to increased workplace hazard exposure that is commonly associated with riskier jobs. Worksite intervention efforts have not been highly successfully for low- wage immigrant groups. This project seeks to promote a healthier workforce by generating knowledge of community service networks and organizational capacities, necessary to disseminate community-based preventive interventions.