Projects Overview
We seek to improve the health of our community by developing, implementing, and assessing socio-culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions. Our research has led to:
An effective, sustainable, community-owned tuberculosis prevention and control program in socially marginalized groups
Attenuation of the risk of cardiovascular disease among immigrants and refugee families in Minnesota who are living in poverty through community-led work
Digital storytelling by immigrants and refugees to inform other patients of their experience of trying to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes
Reduction of cancer screening disparities among people with limited English proficiency.
Co-creation of a childhood obesity prevention program among at-risk youth in after-school programs
Projects
Using Photovoice, we collaborated with Hispanic/Latino and Somali immigrant leaders to document their health-related assets and needs. The photographers’ words and photographs illustrate stories of discrimination, stress, and exclusion but also immense fortitude, resilience, and pride. Collectively, we want to ensure that immigrants have a voice in shaping the policies and decisions that impact our health and lives.
In previous RHCP assessments, addressing mental health and stress has been identified as a health priority for research by community partners. Community partners acknowledge and research has shown that immigrant women face unique stressors associated with parenting, gender roles, language barriers, family separation, employment uncertainties, among others.
Crisis emergency risk communication (CERC) is the application of evidence-based principles to effectively communicate during emergencies. CERC framework is applied in public health in response to health emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage public participation in disease prevention and containment.
Disparities exist in the screening rates for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White populations. Hispanic immigrants and/or individuals who have limited-English proficiency also experience additional vulnerabilities that contribute to this disparity. Culturally tailored interventions are needed to address breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer disparities among this population.
Racial minorities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Moreover, vulnerable populations and minorities are more likely to have communication gaps due to socioeconomic disadvantage, low health literacy, immigration status, and limited English proficiency, compounded by language and cultural discordance and mistrust of health institutions.
In 2015, RHCP completed the Healthy Immigrant Families (HIF) project, during which community and academic partners co-created an intervention that was delivered to 44 Hispanic, Somali and Sudanese families in their homes by bilingual interventionists.
Patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) have lower rates of cancer screening than their English-proficient counterparts in the United States. Local clinic data in Rochester, Minnesota, mirrors the national trends, with wide disparity gaps for cancer screening among patients with LEP.
Racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, including immigrants and refugees, have higher rates of diabetes, and worse outcomes than the general population. Stories told by people who live successfully with diabetes may improve the health of people who are having difficulty living with diabetes.
While immigrant and refugee populations arrive to the United States healthier than the general population, these advantages disappear over time, partly due to adoption of unhealthy dietary behaviors.