Underemployment, Poverty and Access to Health Care in the Mississippi Delta: A CommunityBased Approa

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Underemployment, Poverty and Access to Health
Care in the Mississippi DeltaA Community-Based
Approach to Understanding Problemsand Exploring
Alternatives

• John J. Green, Ph.D.
• Institute for Community-Based Research,
• Division of Social Sciences Center for
  Community Development
• Delta State University
• In the Shadows of Poverty
• Strengthening the Rural Poverty Research Capacity
  of the South
• July 21-23, 2004
• Memphis, Tennessee

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Mississippi Delta
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An Alternative Research Framework?
A more responsive, participatory and
action-oriented approach to research
should Acknowledge the existence of power and
attempt to develop power-sharing
relationships. Involve meaningful participation
at all levels of inquiry. Employ multiple
research designs and methods, including
traditional and alternative models of
inquiry. Assess the quality of the endeavor
through use of several criteria, especially the
soundness of methods and the extent of meaningful
participation. Include an action agenda that is
empowering to the community-based partners.
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Community-Based Research Framework
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Project Partners

• Underemployment and Poverty
• Tri-County Workforce Alliance
• Aaron E. Henry Community Health Center
• Coahoma Opportunities, Inc.
• Quitman County Development Organization
• CURET (Comprehensive Urban/Rural
  Ensemble/Tourism)
• Access to Health Care
• Mississippi Delta State Rural Development Network
• Aaron E. Henry Community Health Center
• Delta Diamond Health Network
• TCQ Health Network
• Greater Delta Health and Human Services Network

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Research Methods Underemployment and Poverty

• Analysis of Census Data.
• Qualitative Telephone Surveys Employers in
  Coahoma and Quitman Counties (Total N 38).
• Focus Groups Four focus groups with
  underemployed adults in Bolivar, Coahoma,
  Quitman and Tallahatchie Counties (Total N 29).
• Follow-up Community Meetings - Six follow-up
  meetings were held for participant validation and
  program planning.

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Research Methods (Continued) Access to Health
Care
Key-Informant Interviews Thirty-eight
key-informant, semi-structured interviews were
conducted with residents of communities
(Cleveland, Clarksdale, Greenville, Marks, Shaw,
Tunica) in seven Delta counties. Focus Groups
Twelve focus groups were conducted with a total
of ninety participants. Delta Rural Poll A
series of health-related questions were included
in the 2003 Delta Rural Poll, a telephone survey
of residents in the eleven core Delta counties
conducted through a partnership between the
Center for Community and Economic Development
(Delta State University) and the Survey Research
Unit, Social Science Research Center (Mississippi
State University).
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Community-Based Research in Action!
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Source 2000 Census of Population and Housing
Summary File 3, Chart by John J. Green. Total
equals more than sum of White and Black.
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Source 2000 Census of Population and Housing
Summary File 3, Chart by John J. Green. Total
equals more than sum of White and Black.
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Source 2000 Census of Population and Housing
Summary File 3, Chart by John J. Green. Total
equals more than sum of White and Black.
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Research Results Underemployment and Poverty
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Research Results Access to Health Care
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Program Planning Model
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Program Plan Workforce Development
Action Objectives Conduct a social marketing
campaign to build awareness of current and
potential employment options and the prerequisite
skills needed to secure these positions. Coordina
te and facilitate efforts to increase
participation in existing workforce development
education and training programs. Construct and
implement a pilot education and training
curriculum for professionalism that is considered
legitimate and valuable by the underemployed,
educators and employers.
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Program Plan Access to Health Care
Action Objectives Coordinate services and case
management between health providers throughout
the region. Develop partnerships between public
schools and community health centers to utilize
communication technology to expand access to
health care. Survey and catalogue nonprofit
health and human service providers to provide
individuals, families and organizations more
information on existing resources.
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