Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Knowledge And Awareness Of Vitamin D Among Pregnant Or Lactating Iraqi Refugee Women: A Call For Different Approaches In Health Education And Outreach, Someireh Amirfaiz, Ed.D.

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and lactation has negative impacts on maternal, fetal, and infant health. Low health literacy and other social determinants of health may increase the risk of deficiency among refugee women. This qualitative study used a survey and in-depth individual interviews to examine knowledge of vitamin D among ten pregnant or breastfeeding Iraqi refugee women in the United States, and sought participants’ recommendations on culture-centered and participatory health promotion strategies. All participants reported having insufficient information and understanding of vitamin D, its health benefits, and the risks of deficiency. The four primary themes that emerged from the …

Healthcare Barriers For Congolese Refugee Children In Louisville, Ky: Parental Perception And Narratives Through Focus Group Discussions, Zheyi Teoh, Brit Anderson, Annie Rominger

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Background: There are up to 3500 refugees who resettle in Kentucky annually with 66% of refugee children originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Little is known about the barriers to healthcare perceived by Congolese parents. This information can direct interventions to improve the care of these children.

Methods: Focus group discussions (FGD) were used to allow families to share personal anecdotes, compare experiences, and encourage discussion between group members. Between August 2018 to May 2020, three FGDs were conducted with Congolese parents who have at least one child ≤18 years old. An interpreter was utilized for each session …

Gaining A “Foothold” On The Diagnosis Of Leishmaniasis, Brent M. Troy, Rebecca Hart, Navjyot Vidwan, Bethany Hodge

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Pediatric refugees and immigrants may present with unusual diagnoses due to their extensive migration and potential harsh conditions in travel. Trauma and family separation add to the difficulty of obtaining a history of exposures. We report a case of one of the more commonly neglected tropical diseases, Leishmaniasis. A 15-year-old male refugee patient presented to the hospital with ulcerative lesions to his legs. His migration history was extensive, starting in Central Africa with travel to South America, followed by migration through Central America to Texas. The patient developed ulcerative lesions on his legs, and he was brought to the children’s …

An Overview Of The Health Profile Of Syrian Refugees Arriving In Kentucky From 2012-2017, Camila Calderon, Annie Rominger

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Background:

The civil unrest in Syria has led to millions of displaced Syrians. The United States has relocated over 15,000 Syrian refugees, mostly arriving since 2015. Little is known about the health of Syrian refugees entering the United States.

Methods:

Syrian refugees in Kentucky who had a medical screening and documented RHA from October 2012 to September 2017 were included in the study. The information is collected and stored in the Arriving Refugee Informatics Surveillance and Epidemiology (ARIVE) database. This study is a retrospective review of the ARIVE database to describe the general health of the Syrian refugees …

Perceptions Of Health Practices And Interactions With The Us Healthcare System Among Bhutanese Refugees: A Qualitative Approach, Amy E. Szajna

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Purpose

The aim of this pilot study was to explore health practices of Bhutanese refugees and their interactions with the US healthcare system and providers.

Methodology

Researchers conducted 12 in-depth interviews and 7 patient-provider observation units as part of this descriptive qualitative study.

Results

Participants identified individual definitions of health and behaviors they value to maintain health. They identified significant trust and faith in their healthcare provider and valued provider-directed suggestions. Participants cited concerns with patient-provider communication resulting from limited English proficiency and frequent changes in primary care providers.

Discussion

This study is useful to inform further research and potential …

Refugee Health And The Kentucky Global Health Center, Rahel Bosson, Ruth M. Carrico

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

In this University of Louisville Grand Rounds lecture, Drs. Rahel Bosson and Ruth Carrico give an overview of the real struggle of the refugee population and provide an update of the current state of refugee health in Kentucky.

They also provide an overview of the Global Health Initiative at University of Louisville, which includes the follow programs: HIV/AIDs, Refugee Health and Immunization, Vaccine and International Travel and Global Health Research Support.

The talk concludes looking to the future with a comprehensive Global Health Center composed of improving refugee orientation and EMR, healthcare worker education, developing guidelines, and bettering our surveillance …