13. Migrant Farm Worker Health Part 2: Culturally Competent Care, Myoactivation, and Bicis, Oh My!

Many Canadians may not realize that the apples in their fruit basket or the flowers brought home to family may be there because of the contributions of a migrant farm worker (MFW) to the nation. Despite having such a significant impact on the Canadian agricultural landscape, MFWs face inequities in health care access and delivery across the country. In this two-part series, Sebastian Lopez Steven, (UBC MSI 2) engages with healthcare workers that provide care to these individuals in British Columbia. Join us for enlightening conversations regarding the major health issues for MFWs and how to bring care to these individuals in a culturally competent manner.

Episode 2 features a chat with Dr. Mary Kozial, a family doctor in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland who provides care for MFWs. We start off with a bit of background on Sebastian’s more informal thoughts on working with this population and then jump into the chat with our physician expert. While continuing to centre MFWs in this discussion, this episode also uses the topic as a jumping off point to chat more about broader equity practices in medicine – come for chats about MFW rights and health and stay to learn about the roles of cultural competent care and myoactivation (now that’s a name)!

Resources for the listener:

1. For information about cultural brokers: Brar-Josan, N., & Yohani, S. C. (2019). Cultural brokers’ role in facilitating informal and formal mental health supports for refugee youth in school and community context: a Canadian case study. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 47(4), 512–523. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2017.1403010

2.    For information about anti-oppression as an emerging competency within the Royal College: Thoma, B., Snell, L., Anderson, R., Frank, J., Tourian, L., Fowler, N., Gomez Garibello, C., Hall, A. K., Constantin, E., Atkinson, A., Chan, T. M., Giuliani, M., Waters, H., Labine, N., Samson, L., Karwowska, A., & Van Melle, E. (2023). Emerging concepts in the CanMEDS physician competency framework . Canadian Medical Education Journal, 14(1), 4–12. https://doi.org/10.36834/cmej.75591

3.    For information about myoactivation: Lauder, G., West, N., & Siren, G. (2019). myoActivation: A Structured Process for Chronic Pain Resolution. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.84377