266048 A spatial analysis of access to health services for immigrants and refugees in the Atlanta metropolitan area

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Huong Giang Tran, MPH Candidate , Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
Dajun Dai, Ph D , Department of Geosciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
Background: Access to health care for immigrants and refugees is often limited by language barriers. The issue of communication has been recognized as one of many factors that influence the choice in seeking health care by these two groups, whose members have limited English proficiency. Due to linguistic barriers, access to health care becomes a challenge for many refugees who do not have easy access to providers with language interpretation services. The delay in access to health care allows adverse health conditions to go undetected and progress to an advanced stage in many refugees and immigrants. Objectives: This study discusses the health needs of the immigrant and refugee populations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to evaluate spatial access to health care providers who provide language interpretation services within travel distance. Methods: Names and contact information of providers in the counties surrounding Atlanta were collected. A telephone survey will be conducted to confirm the availability of language interpretation services at these offices. GIS will be used to perform spatial analysis of the travel distance for refugees from their homes to nearby medical offices. Results: The calculated distance will be used to determine the percentage of medical offices with available language interpretation services that is located within 5 miles, 10 miles, and 15 miles from the refugees' residence. The results from this study can help health care providers and the state public health system to address the health need of people with linguistic barriers.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the health needs of the immigrant and refugee populations in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Evaluate spatial access to health care providers who provide language interpretation services within travel distance using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Keywords: Refugees, Geographic Information Systems

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have experience in working with newly-arrived refugees and immigrants through their resettlement process in the state of Georgia, as well as using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to perform spatial analysis in a few environmental studies. I have a strong interest in using GIS to investigate access to health care for the immigrant and refugee populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.