Journal of Immigrant Health, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2001 Attitudes Toward Tobacco Advertising Among Hispanic Migrant Farm Workers Robert G. LaChausse 1 The existing literature surrounding the effects of transnational tobacco advertising, advertising near or around U.S. borders, on migrant farm workers have been virtually ignored. The purpose of this study was to determine the media literacy skills among migrant farm workers and gather information regarding attitudes and beliefs surrounding tobacco use. Results indicate that migrant Hispanic farm workers believe that smoking is highly popular in the United States and a necessary part of American culture. The data also revealed low media literacy skills regarding tobacco advertising and protobacco attitudes among Hispanic migrant farm workers. As a result, the current study suggests that this population has specific needs for basic media literacy skills regarding tobacco use. Therefore, health education specialists can develop educational strategies that will address tobacco advertising and media literacy skills among migrant farm workers. KEY WORDS: tobacco control; evaluation; migrant health. INTRODUCTION Hispanics represent the largest ethnic minority group within the United States, second only to African Americans (1). As a result, Hispanics are targeted in large-scale tobacco and alcohol campaigns (2). In the State of California, Hispanics represent the fastest growing ethnic minority group among migrant farm workers (1). While migrant farm workers and their children have greater health problems and earlier mortality than the general population, the migrant farm worker population has received very little atten- tion from traditional health education programs (3). At the same time, migrant farm workers report little use of public health services (3). The current literature reveals little regarding the health attitudes and media literacy skills of mi- grant farm workers. This may be because of the tran- sient nature of migrant worker that often hinders research and does not allow for reliable data to be 1 Department of Health Science and Human Ecology, California State University, San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, California 92407; e-mail: rlachaus@csusb.edu. obtained (4), cultural and language barriers, and the relative uninterest in primary prevention regarding migrant workers. Funding for tobacco control efforts among Hispanic migrant farm workers has not been a priority because migrant workers are seen to have no political base and little representation in Congress or state legislatures (3). As a result, Lovato et al. (1994) point out that there is a lack of research re- garding the prevention of tobacco use among migrant Hispanics (5). To help identify key areas of need, studies have been done on the attitudes and beliefs of the gen- eral public regarding tobacco use and its correlates. On the other hand, little is known about perceived risks and health beliefs of the migrant worker includ- ing tobacco use. Most studies regarding tobacco use among migrant workers have focused almost solely on perceived risks regarding the dangers of tobacco use including cancer. Very few programs have focused on the primary prevention and health education needs of the Hispanic farm worker even knowing that many of the children of these workers attend U.S. schools, may use area health care services, and contribute to the social norms of the community. 107 1096-4045/01/0400-0107$19.50/0 C  2001 Plenum Publishing Corporation