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Open Access 06-09-2024 | Original Paper

Interventions to Improve Health Among Refugees in the United States: A Systematic Review

Authors: Leandra Bitterfeld, Mustafa Ozkaynak, Andrea H. Denton, Cornelius A. Normeshie, Rupa S. Valdez, Noor Sharif, Priscilla A. Caldwell, Fern R. Hauck

Published in: Journal of Community Health

Abstract

Refugees arriving to the U.S. experience a high burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. There is a potential to improve health outcomes for refugees through well-developed, comprehensive interventions, but the effectiveness of such interventions is poorly understood. The purpose of this review is to identify, characterize and evaluate the effectiveness of patient-level healthcare interventions for U.S. refugee populations. We conducted a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Medline via PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and CINAHL were searched for articles that included a population of refugees of any age, included an intervention aimed at improving health, included an evaluation of the intervention’s outcomes, and were conducted in the U.S. from 2000 to 2022. Thirty-seven studies were included, and we identified three main intervention modalities: healthcare provision/management, resource provision, and education. Interventions targeted general health, infectious disease, women’s health, diet/exercise, health literacy, oral health, diabetes, family health, and substance use. The outcomes measured included knowledge, satisfaction, behavioral outcomes, and physical health markers. This review demonstrates that a few health conditions, namely tuberculosis, have been addressed with large-scale, sustained interventions. Other conditions (general health and women’s health) have been addressed through piecemeal, short-term interventions. The evaluation of interventions often focuses on knowledge or satisfaction rather than health or behavior change outcomes. Future work should focus on the best strategies for developing sustainable interventions that meet the needs of the diverse population of refugees in the U.S.

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Title: Interventions to Improve Health Among Refugees in the United States: A Systematic Review
Authors: Leandra Bitterfeld
Mustafa Ozkaynak
Andrea H. Denton
Cornelius A. Normeshie
Rupa S. Valdez
Noor Sharif
Priscilla A. Caldwell
Fern R. Hauck
Publication date: 06-09-2024
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Community Health
Print ISSN: 0094-5145
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3610
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-024-01400-2

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on modern management of frailty

Springer Medicine

Interventions to Improve Health Among Refugees in the United States: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on modern management of frailty

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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