Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115568

Lori Ann Edwards, APRN, BC, MPH, Marguerite Baty, RN, BS, and Jeanne McCarter, RN, BS. Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, 617-501-1066, mbaty1@son.jhmi.edu

Refugees resettled in the U.S. leave grim and sometimes dangerous conditions of refugee camps in pursuit of healthier and safer environments. However, struggling with acculturation into modern society, they face significant challenges as they adapt to their new lives. Nurses in the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Community Outreach Program collaborated with the International Rescue Committee to identify major acculturation challenges for the Somali Bantu refugees adapting to life in Baltimore. Cultural sensitivity in health care settings is limited. Refugees are also severely restricted in communication given the language barriers, and they have limited life skills in a modern environment. As a result, these refugees have major issues in health literacy and home safety. Nurses and nursing students developed a home visit intervention protocol including environmental health assessments, home safety, and health education. Students conduct home visits and teach refugee community leaders or IRC staff to sustain the interventions. The curriculum focuses on environmental home safety, modern appliance use, electricity, food preparation and storage and nutrition education. Results of the effectiveness of home visit interventions will be described. Major health issues for the refugees will be discussed, including infectious diseases. Descriptive data regarding health access issues will be presented. Nurses and students involved in the project have developed cross-cultural expertise in the Peace Corps, which has promoted effectiveness in intervening with the refugee population. This partnership project and home-based intervention is an innovative, multi-pronged approach to promote the health, safety and acculturation of Somali Bantus in Baltimore.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe necessary interventions to ensure home and environmental safety for newly resettled refugees.
• 2. Describe how culturally trained nurses and nursing students are effective when working with refugees.
• 3. Identify major health issues and health care access issues for the Somali Bantu population in Baltimore.

Keywords: Refugees, Public Health Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation