Obstacles and opportunities in designing cancer control communication research for farmworkers on the Delmarva Peninsula.

: Little is known about the incidence of cancer among farmworker populations or about effective strategies for communicating with farmworkers about cancer prevention. Some studies suggest that farmworkers may have unusually high incidences of skin and cervical cancers. With these two cancers as the focus, a group of interviewers, researchers, and health communication specialists set out to create, implement, and evaluate a cancer control demonstration project geared toward farmworkers. In 1994, a situation analysis was conducted to identify constraints and opportunities for providing farmworkers with cancer control information and services. The situation analysis provided valuable information to aid in developing intervention and evaluation strategies. This paper outlines how and why the situation analysis was conducted and what was learned with regard to the farmworker population on the Delmarva Peninsula. Living conditions and the local availability of cancer control services are described. Obstacles to conducting research and interventions with farmworkers are high-lighted. Based on what was learned, recommendations are made for designing cancer control research and intervention for farmworkers.