Oral

As the public health world tries to deal with the many public health issues associated with immigration, these and many more questions come up. In order to address the myriad of public health concerns in this population, we must first step back and consider the make-up, and health beliefs/behavior/practices of these populations. In order to develop and implement public health interventions in support of immigrant communities, we must first understand what it means to be an immigrant in this modern age and come to understand the barriers they face. What does it mean for someone to have to live and work without having identification? These questions and many others will be addressed in order to help public health professionals, government funders and program developers understand the particular conditions faced by today's immigrants and how we can develop programs that address these unique conditions. The session will also examine the issues that affect the health and well-being of immigrants and the role of community health workers in overcoming these barriers and helping the health care system become more accessible and appropriate to the communities they serve.

Session Objectives: • Understand immigration as a public health issue • Describe the role of community health workers as representatives of the health care rights of immigrants and their access to health care • Articulate the impact of US immigration policy on the health status of immigrants and low income residents of border communities

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing