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Abstract #158485

Diana K. DuBois, MPH, MIA¹, Laura C. Ehrlich, MPH¹, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, MPH¹, and Abdulkadir Osman². (1) Minnesota International Health Volunteers, 122 West Franklin Avenue, Suite 510, Minneapolis, MN 55404, 612-230-3250, ddubois@mihv.org, (2) Somali-TV of Minnesota, 1221 40th Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421

Background: Minnesota has the largest concentration of Somali refugees in the United States, with population estimates ranging from 25,000 to 60,000. Although specific data for Somalis are lacking, evidence shows that immigrant and refugee communities have difficulty accessing culturally appropriate health education and information due to language, cultural beliefs and illiteracy.

Objectives: The Somali TV Project aims to improve health knowledge and promote healthy behaviors among Somali immigrants and refugees while maintaining Somali cultural values and traditions.

Methods: The Somali TV Project developed Caafimaadkeena—Our Health, a series of nine culturally-appropriate, Somali-language education videos and a live call-in show in partnership with a Somali community access cable television station in Minnesota. Health topics included: childbirth experiences, breastfeeding and child spacing, infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Hepatitis B), breast and cervical cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and nutrition and exercise. The video programs were aired regularly over the past 2 years on Somali TV and were widely distributed to health care and social service providers throughout Minnesota and the United States.

Results: Focus groups with Somali community members indicated the programs were very effective health education tools. Participants were able to identify key health messages conveyed by the programs and found the delivery of the messages understandable and culturally appropriate. Community members also suggested additional health topics for future programs. Since 2004, approximately 12,000 Somali's were reached through video broadcast, and over 1,200 videos have been distributed nationally to over 100 health care and social service providers serving Somali refugee communities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify five specific benefits and constraints to culture- and language-appropriate health education programming on community access cable television.
• List four key components of successful health education programming with Somali refugees and immigrants.
• Identify and apply lessons learned in creating community partnerships to improve health literacy in refugee and immigrant populations.

Related Web page: www.mihv.org/somalitv

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.