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Online Program

327610
Bridge to Care perspectives on engaging with the refugee community; examples from community-needs based refugee education sessions, mentoring program and health fairs


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Alexandria Tran, BA, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Ian Parsley, BS, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Elizabeth Elliott, Medical Student, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Katelyn Jelden, MPH, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Tyler Irvine, College of Public Health Research Assistant, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Subash Baniya, Pharmacy Student, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Ryan Hafner, Medical Student, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Ruth Margalit, MD, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Laura Vinson, MPH, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Bridge To Care (BTC) is an interprofessional student initiative facilitated by the College of Public Health’s Service Learning Academy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Its goal is twofold: 1) to provide need-based support for recently resettled refugees as they navigate through a new life and the healthcare system in Omaha, NE, and 2) to provide students an opportunity to develop cross-cultural skills as they are exposed to people from diverse backgrounds and ‘local global health’ issues. In addition to engaging with refugees through health education sessions and mentoring programs for school-aged refugees, BTC runs a biannual health fair/linkage-to-care event that provides refugee-relevant health education and free health care services, including influenza vaccinations; dental examinations; eye exams and glasses; weight; body mass index; and glucose level screens. With the aid of over 170 volunteers, BTC's November 2014 health fair provided services to 485 Omaha refugees. Reviewing the organizational model adapted for the local Omaha refugee health fair, we will describe several critical lessons identified from our activities and will facilitate discussion with other organizations interested in authentic community engagement with the refugee community. 

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Describe several critical lessons identified from Bridge to Care's biannual refugee health fairs. Discuss findings with other organizations interested in authentic community engagement with the refugee community.

Keyword(s): Refugees, Health Promotion and Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a medical student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and president of Bridge to Care, which focuses on decreasing health disparities in refugee populations in Omaha, NE. I am interested specifically in providing health education to refugees.
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.

Back to: 4081.1: Global policies and approaches to refugees and immigrants health