Published in:
01-08-2014 | Original Paper
Barriers to Healthcare Access Among Refugees with Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions Resettled in the US Midwest
Authors:
Mansha Mirza, Rene Luna, Bhuttu Mathews, Rooshey Hasnain, Elizabeth Hebert, Allison Niebauer, Uma Devi Mishra
Published in:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
|
Issue 4/2014
Login to get access
Abstract
Chronic conditions and related functional disabilities are highly prevalent among resettled refugees in the United States. There is a need to explore this population’s access to appropriate healthcare services in order to identify service disparities and improve interventions. Using a community-based participatory research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants to identify healthcare access barriers affecting disabled and chronically ill refugees. Eighteen participants were interviewed, revealing three main barriers: (1) inadequate health insurance, (2) language and communication barriers, and (3) a complex maze of service systems. These barriers were found to operate at systems, provider, and individual levels. Broad-based policy and practice interventions are required to address barriers including: an expanded pool of medical interpreters, peer navigators, innovative health information technologies, and greater collaboration and information-sharing between service systems. Further research is needed to monitor the impact the Affordable Care Act on service access of refugees with disabilities and chronic conditions.