Using Interagency Network Analysis for Building Community-Based Prevention for Immigrant Worker Health

Introduction: Innovative prevention approaches are needed to address US immigrant worker health and health disparities. Immigrants are at increased risk, disproportionately represented in risky, low-wage jobs. Worksite prevention efforts have not been effective in reaching this vulnerable population due to socio-cultural factors including discrimination, health care inequalities, deportation threats, all exacerbated by cultural differences, language proficiency, and minimal resources. To advance prevention efforts for immigrant worker health, cross-sector collaboration is a promising approach; it focuses on community agency networks in order to strengthen community infrastructure and capacity, and provides a cost-effective and sustainable strategy to improve population health. However, effectively engaging interagency networks for prevention requires understanding the form and structural linkages among community resources. This presentation describes an innovative research application of a systems science methodology, network analysis, for developing and delivering community-based prevention for Chinese American immigrant worker health.

Methods: To generate an inclusive network structure, a roster of both Chinese and non-Chinese community agencies/organizations pertinent to immigrant worker health was created using multiple information sources. Data are being gathered with in-person surveys with one administrator and one service provider from each agency. Interviewees provide data on six dimensions of cross agency relationships on the roster; new agencies are added when identified. Descriptive statistics and graphs are used to illustrate network properties (e.g., density, cliques, multiplexity, centrality), characterizing network structures, the strengths of links between agencies, and relative position of agencies within the network.

Results: Collectively, data integrated across scores of network properties is being used to describe Chinese and non-Chinese agencies' connectivity regarding exchange of information, resources, and services relevant to Chinese American immigrant worker health. Early analyses reveal network patterns critical for understanding how Chinese and non-Chinese agencies and cross sector community resources are connected and for evaluating the potential of each agency to control and manage the flow of resources and prevention efforts for Chinese American immigrant workers.

Conclusions: Application of network analysis is a novel and complementary method to promote Chinese American immigrant worker health by distinguishing interagency networks within and across community sectors and identifying effective interagency linkages to facilitate the diffusion of preventive interventions for immigrant workers in community settings.