Protecting farmworkers' breathing health by improving housing, air, and policies
Research Employing Environmental Systems and Occupational Health Policy Analyses to Interrupt the Impact of Social and Structural Relationships on Agricultural Workers and Their Respiratory Health
This project develops community-driven ways to lower respiratory illness risk for migrant and seasonal farmworkers by improving housing conditions, indoor air quality, and workplace policies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11291898 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be followed over time so researchers can link your housing conditions and indoor air quality to exposure to respiratory viruses and breathing problems. Teams will collect air samples, test for viruses, and record symptoms and health events while partnering closely with local community groups. They will also analyze workplace, housing, and county-level policies and systems that shape health risks and work with communities to design practical changes. The combined approach aims to produce environmental and policy actions that reduce infection risk and improve breathing health in agricultural communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are migrant and seasonal farmworkers who live or work in crowded or substandard housing in agricultural counties and who face elevated risk of respiratory infections.
Not a fit: People who do not live or work in agricultural settings or whose breathing problems are unrelated to housing or workplace exposures are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide changes to housing, air quality, and policies that reduce respiratory infections and improve lung health for farmworkers.
How similar studies have performed: Housing improvements and air-quality measures have reduced respiratory risks in other settings, but combining community-driven policy analysis with air sampling focused on farmworkers is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Payne-Sturges, Devon C — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Payne-Sturges, Devon C
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.