Combating Cambodian health disparities: A community driven approach

This presentation will describe the process and findings from a study in seven Cambodian refugee communities across the U.S. aimed at piloting the feasibility of using hand held technology and a community based participatory research approach (CBPA) in identifying key health concerns that affect a highly traumatized, largely non-English speaking refugee community that may contribute to their health disparities. The study gathered survey data from a convenience sample of 300 Cambodian adults matched to the national gender and age distribution of Cambodians from the 2010 census. The survey data was collected using handheld iPads programmed in Khmer spoken format and focuses on chronic health problems. The study is engaging stakeholders in Cambodian communities in the U.S. in interpreting the pilot findings through a bridged videoconferenced Town Hall Meeting and will create a Cambodian community identified focus for a larger research study to improve the health of their communities.

This pilot study served as an initial step in developing a larger study that will likely provide a scientific foundation to inform both policies and specific practices for empowering Cambodian and other refugees and their families to lead productive, healthy lives in America. The presenter will share the lessons learned regarding the process of engaging key stakeholders in the community at every stage of this project. The benefits of the CBPA in enabling the research team to develop a larger study that will be culturally appropriate, relevant and meaningful to Cambodian refugee communities while building community capacity will be highlighted.