Involving Community Stakeholders in Reducing Health Disparities among Refugee and Immigrant Communities

Background: Approximately 12,000 Cambodian refugees and Latino immigrants reside in the 1.25 square mile, high-crime Minnie Street area of Santa Ana, California. A grassroots agency, The Cambodian Family (TCF), conducted a 3-part community needs assessment (CNA) including surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews to learn about cultural, environmental, and social determinants of health within the community. TCF established a community-based partnership network to inform the CNA, analyze findings and make program and systems-related recommendations. This presentation highlights findings from the stakeholder interviews.

Methods: In-person, one-hour interviews were conducted with 13 stakeholders representing government and community-based organizations to explore their perceptions of community health needs and disparities, and potential strategies for improvement. Content analysis was conducted to identify themes which emerged from the stakeholders discourse.

Results: Mental health issues, structural threats (overcrowding, poor housing, lack of safe recreational area), lack of access to health care services, community violence and gangs, undocumented status, and lack of employment emerged as the primary themes related to barriers to community health and well-being. The strategies for addressing these issues most commonly offered were  establishing shared community priorities, provision of a safety net for all individuals,  increased collaborations among organizations, enhanced recreational opportunities, partnerships between law enforcement and the community, linguistically and culturally relevant resources, and additional healthy food options.

Conclusion: The stakeholder interviews corroborated findings from the other two components of the CNA and served to engage community leaders in an important discussion about potential strategies for ameliorating present health inequities.