About

Carly Hyland is an Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health and UC ANR. Her work focuses on characterizing and mitigating the health impacts of interconnected climate-intensified exposures among agricultural and food systems workers, including heat, wildfire smoke, and pesticides. Dr. Hyland works with interdisciplinary teams using community-engaged and mixed-methods approaches, with the ultimate goal of informing evidence-based policies and programs to protect food systems workers from climate change. She holds a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from UC Berkeley, earned in 2021, a Master’s in Global Health and Environment from UC Berkeley in 2017, and a BA in Environmental Science from Carthage College in 2015.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Environmental health
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Sociology
• Developmental psychology
• Demography
• Psychiatry
• Nursing
• Food science
• Chemistry
• Psychology
• Socioeconomics

Selected publications

• Response to Letter: Towards a Community-Driven Framework to Promote Justice for Agricultural Workers

  Journal of Agromedicine · 2026-04-10

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Best practices to communicate children’s environmental health: a scoping review protocol

  Open MIND · 2026-01-01 · 1 citations

  otherOpen access

  Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to map and synthesize existing literature on strategies used to communicate children’s environmental health science to diverse audiences, with particular attention to communication directed at policymakers. Eligibility criteria: This review will include published literature focused on how scientists communicate children’s environmental health science to policymakers, practitioners, non-governmental organizations, civil society actors, think tanks, and government agencies. The core concept encompasses science communication, knowledge translation, and evidence-informed policymaking as applied to children’s environmental health, including chemical exposures, pollution, climate-related health impacts, and other environmental hazards. The review will include communication of CEH science directed at subnational, national, and international policy contexts and will exclude literature focused exclusively on adult populations, individual-level behavioral recommendations without a communication or policy component, and primary environmental health research without a dissemination component. Methods: MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection will be searched from inception without date or language restrictions. Titles, abstracts, and full texts will be screened by two independent reviewers using Covidence. Data will be extracted using a piloted instrument and analyzed using descriptive numerical summaries and descriptive qualitative content analysis.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Pesticide biomonitoring report-back preferences of pregnant agricultural workers in California: findings from focus groups

  Environmental Research Health · 2026-01-22

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Prenatal pesticide exposure has been associated with adverse health outcomes, and farmworkers have higher pesticide exposure than the general public. Thus, it is crucial to characterize pesticide exposure and identify strategies to reduce exposure among agricultural workers during pregnancy. Previous studies have conducted biomonitoring among agricultural workers in the US, but knowledge gaps exist regarding the accessibility of resulting report-back materials for this population. We conducted focus groups with a subset of participants from a study examining prenatal occupational pesticide exposure to assess preferences for biomonitoring report-back materials and methods. We aimed to understand (1) how to present urinary pesticide biomonitoring results in an accessible manner, (2) what additional information participants would like to receive with their results, and (3) other concerns participants have about pesticide exposure, and desired resources. Participants ( n = 7) took part in two separate focus groups in November 2024 in Salinas, CA. Focus group recordings were transcribed, translated from Spanish to English, checked for accuracy, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 37 years, were all born in Mexico, and primarily spoke either Mixteco ( n = 4) or Spanish ( n = 3). Participants indicated that written materials communicating biomonitoring report-back or health information were not accessible, and some found words such as ‘concentration’ and ‘average,’ common in biomonitoring, to be confusing. Overall, participants voiced a strong preference to receive biomonitoring report-back materials (1) in person, in consultation with a subject-matter expert, and (2) via videos so they could pause, rewind, and rewatch content. Researchers should consider participants as important stakeholders when designing biomonitoring report-back materials and processes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Children's environmental and occupational exposures to pesticides in low- and middle-income countries rural areas - an elephant in the room

  The Science of The Total Environment · 2025-06-16 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• “The ones who are on their best behavior keep coming”: H-2A farmworkers in Idaho

  Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  H-2A farmworkers in the United States live in a state of liminality, navigating systemic precarity as they move between their home countries and employment in the U.S. While the H-2A program offers benefits such as legal passage across the bor­der, a guaranteed minimum wage, housing, and transportation, the program also presents signifi­cant challenges. Some scholars claim the H-2A program is akin to modern-day slavery and argue temporary agricultural wodrkers experience unfree­dom in their labor. In this paper, we share data related to H-2A farmworkers collected during a 2022 study on pesticide risk and exposure in Idaho. Drawing upon interview and survey data, we explore the precarity inherent in the H-2A pro­gram, and consider logistical, financial, and socio-emotional challenges facing H-2A workers, high­lighting the experiences of a small group of farm­workers in Idaho. Through the analysis of this data, we find evidence that H-2A farmworkers in Idaho experience liminality, precarity, and unfreedom. This paper is a timely call for additional research on H-2A farmworker experiences. We highlight specific issues, concerns, and trends that warrant additional study.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Examining Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Supporting Pregnant Farmworkers to Mitigate Occupational Pesticide Exposure in California: A Qualitative Study

  Journal of Primary Care & Community Health · 2025-12-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Pesticide exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes, and farmworkers face disproportionate risk. In California, healthcare providers can help mitigate exposure through work accommodation notes and State Disability Insurance (SDI) certification. However, little is known about provider knowledge and practices in this area. This study explores how healthcare providers support pregnant farmworking patients in reducing occupational pesticide exposure and identifies key barriers, facilitators, and recommendations for healthcare systems. METHODS: We conducted 3 virtual focus groups and 6 interviews (July 2024-March 2025) with California healthcare providers and state agency staff. Discussions explored knowledge, attitudes, and practices around screening, counseling, and SDI certification for pregnant farmworkers. Transcripts were thematically analyzed using grounded theory with inductive and deductive coding. RESULTS: Key barriers included limited prenatal care access, inadequate provider training, limited culturally and linguistically appropriate resources, inconsistent screening and counseling practices, and uncertainty around SDI eligibility and certification. These contributed to variable practices: some providers facilitated early disability leave and others hesitated due to unclear guidance or perceived administrative burden. Facilitators included early prenatal care, staff support, knowledgeable providers, and exposure screening workflows. CONCLUSIONS: Standardized guidelines, improved provider education, and coordinated policy and clinic-level changes are urgently needed to ensure equitable care for pregnant farmworkers.

  PublisherDOI

• Associations of prenatal glyphosate exposure with child neurodevelopment in a Canadian pregnancy cohort study

  Environment International · 2025-04-17 · 4 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  OBJECTIVE: Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide worldwide. Few epidemiologic studies have examined the potential for neurotoxicity by glyphosate or its degradate, Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA). We examined associations of maternal urinary glyphosate and AMPA concentrations with child cognitive, social, and behavioural functioning in participants enrolled in the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study. METHODS: Maternal urinary glyphosate and AMPA concentrations were measured in first trimester spot urine samples. We assessed children's cognition (IQ) at 3-4 years of age (n = 572) using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-III. Social (n = 566) and behavioural (n = 840) functioning were assessed using parent-report versions of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 and Behavioral Assessment System for Children-2. We quantified associations between maternal urinary glyphosate and AMPA concentrations and child neurodevelopmental outcomes using multivariable linear regression models and assessed effect modification by child sex, maternal folic acid, and plasma folate. RESULTS: Median (IQR) urinary glyphosate and AMPA concentrations were 0.31 (0.33) μg/L and 0.25 (0.25) μg/L. Maternal urinary glyphosate and AMPA concentrations were not significantly associated with children's cognitive, social or behavioural functioning, and there was no evidence of effect modification. We found a non-significant inverse trend between maternal urinary AMPA concentrations and Performance IQ (B = -0.85; 95 %CI: -1.71,0.01). CONCLUSION: In this primarily urban cohort of Canadian mother-child pairs, prenatal glyphosate and AMPA exposure were not significantly associated with child neurodevelopment. Further evaluation of glyphosate as a potential developmental neurotoxicant in a study with multiple urine samples per participant and at higher exposure levels is warranted.

  PublisherDOI

• Best practices to communicate children’s environmental health: a scoping review

  OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · 2025-01-01

  otherOpen access

  An ISCHE (International Society for Children's Health and the Environment) Research to Action (R2A) project.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Best practices to communicate children’s environmental health: a scoping review

  Open MIND · 2025-01-01

  other

  An ISCHE (International Society for Children's Health and the Environment) Research to Action (R2A) project.

  Publisher

• Evaluation of “Agricultural Pass” Program and Farmworkers’ Experiences Working During Wildfires in Sonoma County, California

  Journal of Agromedicine · 2025-10-19 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVES: Farmworkers are disproportionately exposed to and impacted by wildfire smoke, which will continue to worsen with climate change. Sonoma County is a winegrowing region in northern California that experienced record-breaking wildfires from 2017 to 2020; in 2022 the County passed an "Ag Pass" program that allows farm owners and full-time agricultural employees potential access to evacuated areas during disasters such as a wildfire. The goals of this study were to: 1) evaluate farmworkers' experiences working during wildfires, 2) examine implications of the Ag Pass program for farmworker health and safety, and 3) develop policy recommendations to safeguard farmworkers' health during wildfires. METHODS: We worked with a local community engagement team to administer surveys and conduct open-ended interviews with farmworkers in Sonoma County to examine their: 1) understanding of the Ag Pass program; 2) previous experiences working in agriculture during wildfires; 3) desired resources and training about wildfire health and safety; 4) organizations they would feel most comfortable interacting to receive this training; and 5) other concerns related to working during wildfires. RESULTS: Of the 1,011 survey participants, 763 (75.5%) had worked in agriculture during a wildfire in Sonoma County since 2017; of these, 507 (66.5%) reported experiencing health impacts such as a headache (74.9%), sore throat (76.0%), and eye irritation (83.1%). Over 50% of participants who reported adverse health did not have health insurance, and many reported continuing to work while feeling ill to avoid losing income or their jobs. The most consistent theme throughout the surveys and interviews was that farmworkers believed it necessary to work in hazardous conditions (e.g. during active wildfires and poor air quality) to be able to pay for basic needs such as housing and groceries. CONCLUSION: Our analysis identified gaps in the protection of farmworkers during wildfires in Sonoma County and areas for improvement in the Ag Pass program, including consideration of air quality and heat levels when the Ag Pass may be activated; health training requirements for program applicants; increased collaborations with trusted organizations to deliver health and safety information; and improved communication with workers about evacuation routes and wildfire notifications at the workplace.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Ana M. Mora

  University of California, Berkeley

  66 shared

• Brenda Eskenazi

  Center for Environmental Health

  36 shared

• Asa Bradman

  University of California, Merced

  30 shared

• Sharon K. Sagiv

  Center for Environmental Health

  29 shared

• Katherine Kogut

  Center for Environmental Health

  29 shared

• Robert B. Gunier

  University of California, Berkeley

  28 shared

• Cynthia L. Curl

  Boise State University

  21 shared

• Julianna Deardorff

  University of California, Berkeley

  16 shared

Education

• PhD, Environmental Health Sciences

  University of California, Berkeley

  2021

• Master of Science Global Health and Environment, Public Health

  University of California Berkeley

  2017