Health Information Needs of Immigrant Populations Carli Zegers

Health Information Needs of Immigrant Populations Carli Zegers, Ph. D, APRN-NP, FNP-BC NAHN Board, Policy & Advocacy Liaison

Definitions • Immigrant: a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country • Migrant: a person who moves from one place to another, especially in order to find work or better living conditions • Asylum Seeker: a person who has left their home country as a political refugee and is seeking asylum in another • Refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster • Migrant Protection Program • Border Towns • Third Country Asylum Rules

Ports of Entry

Numbers All numbers link to a healthcare crisis in the form of access to appropriate bilingual/bicultural care, lack of providers, immediate and longterm management of physical and mental health needs

Healthcare Needs • Patient Needs • Health Screenings • Acute Health Care • Mental Health Assessments • Child Specific Care • Consistency & Continuity • Provider Needs • Medical Resources & Standardized Screenings • Bilingual & Bicultural resources • Community and Service Resource Lists/Connections • Community Needs • Access to resources • Funding & Support

Mental Health • Occurrence • All are at risk for PTSD, depression, anxiety • High rates of suicide • Lack of appropriate treatment • Manifests emotionally and physically • Immediate and long-term impact • Children are at high risk and lasting impact (ACEs) • Needs/Barriers • Bilingual/bicultural care limitations • Mental health screenings matched with treatment • Counseling and community resources • Information access to resources • Increase in Mental Health Providers

Public Health Crisis • • • Individuals – Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health Crisis – Instability and uncertainty – Mental Health issues – Social Determinants of Health Community – Resource allocation and utilization – Care for current community – Assistance matched with grassroot efforts System – Standardized reporting – Integration – Cultural appropriate resources (i. e. providers, literature)

Health Policy • • Policy ensuring adequate resources – Healthcare access – Information access with language and literacy levels – Clear information for processes Access to federal and state documents in appropriate languages H. R. 3239/S. 2135 Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act – Committee on the Judiciary (7/17/19) – Include appropriate healthcare services within 12 hours of arriving CBP – Appropriate providers, improved process, private assessments, and language services H. R. 3855 – To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform asylum procedures, and for other purposes (House- Judiciary) – Specifically the interpretive services

Access Implications • Access is equity – https: //www. healthypeople. gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/Accessto-Health-Services • Access is linked to both comprehensive access to care, including language services, and timeliness of care • Access specific to language and appropriate materials – – Supports clear understanding Improved outcomes Empowerment Physical, mental, and spiritual impact

Health Literacy Considerations • Defined as the ability to obtain, understand, and utilize health information – IOM Report on Health Literacy – Obtaining information • Modality – Understanding • Language and level specific • Consider meaning with translation/interpretation – Utilize • Making health related decisions • Improve health based on information and access

Call To Action • Engage and advocate for policy specific to improved, appropriate healthcare and information access • Support organizations and efforts to increase access to equitable care for all • Ensure appropriate health literacy and access mechanisms are in place for all home institutions or personal work • Collaborate with providers and the community to disseminate information and resources

Carli Zegers carli. a. zegers@gmail. com