Kuvura amajwi, healing voices: Promoting health literacy in low-literacy refugee populations

As worldwide numbers of displaced persons increase to nearly 33 million (UNHCR, 2007), the United States experiences one of the highest global refugee resettlement rates, with an estimated 80,000 resettled in 2009 alone (Refugee Council USA, 2008). With increasing numbers, U.S. government and resettlement agencies must expand placement to new locations, yet community agencies may lack the systemic infrastructure and communication skills necessary to address the anticipated increase in public health services for refugees and their families. Cross-disciplinary collaboration and new technologies, however, provide vehicles for bridging these service challenges.

Healing Transitions: Program Interventions for Youth Refugees and Families, a community-based participatory research project that assesses short and long-term transition needs of refugees, developed the Kuvura Amajwi (Healing Voices) MP3 program to assist in refugee health literacy. When qualitative analysis of focus group interviews with Burundian refugees revealed cultural misconceptions because of illiteracy in English and their native language Kirundi, Kirundi MP3 tracks were paired with illustrated pictures to provide health literacy modules. Innovative and efficient, MP3 modules communicate health information to low literacy and culturally diverse populations. Modules can be easily transposed into other languages for use with other refugee communities, and new health modules can be added as needed, making MP3 players a fluid yet effective means of increasing health literacy.

After piloting, health modules in both Kirundi and English were implemented in partnership with English and cultural orientation classes provided by a local resettlement agency. Pre- and post-evaluation results of this innovative program will be presented.