Intimate Partner Violence Among Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers In Southeastern North Carolina

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Background/Rationale: Migrant farm workers are at risk for increased incidence of IPV often associated with alcohol use.

Purposes: The purposes of the study are to 1) assess IPV, alcohol use, and attitudes about IPV, and 2) examine relationships among these factors with migrant and seasonal farm workers in southeastern North Carolina.

Methods: Three bilingual data collectors visited migrant camps, health departments, churches and homes in Southeastern North Carolina. A face to face interview method was used to collect the data on: demographics; attitude questionnaire about IPV- tool developed by the Coalition for Family Peace; CAGE/4M (Cut down drinking; Annoyed; Guilty; and Eye-opener) (alcohol abuse); and HITS (Hurt, Insulted, Threatened with harm, and Screamed at). SPSS (version 15) was used to analyze the data.

A total of 291 participants completed the surveys. The findings indicated that attitudes about IPV differ significantly between men and women. There is a strong relationship between IPV and alcohol use.

Conclusions: The findings indicated that attitudes on IPV are multifaceted, influencing each other with increased levels of alcohol use and significantly different between men and women..

Implications for Practice: The findings of this study provide a framework to better understand IPV and furthermore suggest culturally sensitive interventions.

Stream: Ethnicity, Difference, Identity , Other

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Pediatric nurse practitioner for 30 years. Fulbright Scholar in 2004 in El Salvador. Author of four textbooks for advanced practice nurses and several chapters in various texts. Content expert and editor of Mosby's PNP On-line Certification Review Course. Member of an interdisciplinary group to study and publish on interpersonal violence. The group recently applied for center status, Center on Violence Studies (CVS). I have published on family violence and presented on child abuse. Recently, with Dr. Soo Kim-Godwin, completed a research project on seasonal and migrant farm workers.

Dr. Kim-Godwin’s research is in in the area of transcultural and /community health nursing. Her scholarship in this area includes approximately ten publications in peer-reviewed journals and texts, and numerous research grants in this specialty. She has expanded her research interests into the area of interpersonal violence. Since the inception of the Center for Violence Studies (CVS), an interdisciplinary group at UNCW studying violence, she has been an active participant in publications and the design and analysis of research activities. Additional publications include the public health issues of HIV/AIDS in rural North Carolina, patterns of violence in homeless women, and health problems for the homeless. She developed a Model for the Delivery of Culturally Competent Community Care in 2001. Dr. Kim-Godwin has received four grants to support community health initiatives and to support her research on intimate partner violence. Additionally, during her tenure at UNCW, Dr. Kim-Godwin has received several grants to develop and or enhance on-line education.