Health care navigation and access among Latino farmworkers: A qualitative study assessing individual perspectives

Context: Latino farmworkers in the Imperial Valley have historically experienced a number of social needs that impact their access to health care.

Objective: Using a community-based research approach, our study aims to understand healthcare navigation, in addition to facilitators and barriers to health services among Latino Farmworkers.

Study Design and Analysis: This qualitative study conducted semi-structured focus groups among 24 Spanish-preferred Latino farmworkers from January to March 2024. The focus group sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The analysis was conducted entirely in Spanish by bilingual investigators and research assistants. Using a conventional content analysis approach, the team inductively contextualized the data to create a codebook. Team members constructed themes across data sources using an applied thematic analysis approach.

Setting: Our focus group sessions were conducted at various community sites in El Centro, Brawley, and Calexico, California.

Population Studied: Our study population consisted of Latino farmworkers, aged 18 years or more.

Intervention/Instrument: Through semi-structured focus groups, we actively involved our participants with photo-elicitation practices and engaged in crucial dialogue concerning healthcare access and resources for chronic disease prevention and management.

Outcome Measures: We triangulated our data using demographic data, focus group transcripts, and photographs, to further contextualize our themes.

Results: We identified three central themes: (1) Occupational conditions limit their access to healthcare services, (2) Local clinics offer quality care but hours of operation and geographical locations create barriers to accessing healthcare services, and (3) U.S. Healthcare navigation barriers lead farmworkers’ to seek healthcare services in Mexico.

Conclusions: Structural and environmental factors create barriers to farmworkers’ ability to seek healthcare services. There is a need for multi-level clinical-community linkage interventions to align resources and services with Latino farmworker needs.