Anabel Rodriguez

Dr. Anabel Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Texas A&M University, dedicated to improving occupational health and safety among agricultural working populations. Her research focuses on Spanish and Indigenous-speaking immigrant and migrant farmworkers in rural Texas and U.S.-Mexico border regions, addressing tuberculosis prevention, vaccine access barriers, and health disparities in medically underserved 'health deserts'.

Education:

• PhD, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health
• MPH, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health
• BS, Saint Edward's University

Research Focus: Dr. Rodriguez investigates occupational epidemiology and social determinants of health in precarious agricultural employment, with emphasis on infectious disease prevention (tuberculosis, influenza, brucellosis) and vaccine equity. Her work integrates Total Worker Health® approaches to address mental health barriers, diabetes management, and safety climate in dairy operations through community-based interventions.

Publication Trends: Recent articles (2023-2025) reveal three dominant themes: 1) Safety leadership training for dairy supervisors using mobile technology, 2) Infection control program development for rural healthcare workers, and 3) Analysis of social-structural barriers affecting migrant shrimpers and farmworkers. Her research consistently centers on hard-to-reach populations in Texas border communities using culturally tailored methods.

Professional Context: As the daughter of Mexican immigrant seasonal farmworkers from the Rio Grande Valley, Dr. Rodriguez brings lived experience to her work. She develops training programs for occupational safety and infectious disease prevention while teaching courses in Occupational Epidemiology and Immigrant Working Populations. Her contact: anabelr@tamu.edu | 979.436.9329 | 212 Adriance Lab Rd., College Station, TX.