Journal of cultural diversity
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There is increasing recognition in Australia that racial and ethnic minority groups experience significant disparities in health and health care compared with the average population and that the Australian health care system needs to be more responsive to the health and care needs of these groups. The paper presents the findings of a year long study that explored what providers and recipients of health care know and understand about the nature and implications of providing culturally safe and competent health care to minority racial and ethnic groups in Victoria, Australia. Analysis of the data obtained from interviewing 145 participants recruited from over 17 different organizational sites revealed a paucity of knowledge and understanding of this issue and the need for a new approach to redress the status quo.
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Case Reports
Mental health symptoms in Iraqi refugees: posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.
Refugees suffer from a higher rate of mental health symptoms than the general population since they have experienced extreme suffering and the accumulated effects of trauma. Because of the diversity of regions from which refugees originate, there is a need to understand some of the unique experiences that are specific to each sub-groups of immigrants. The purpose of the present study was to explore mental health symptoms in Iraqi refugee clients who immigrated to the United States after the Gulf War of the early 1990's. ⋯ As expected, the majority of refugees reported intense anxiety and depression, and many met the DSM IV criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Like refugees from other countries-of-origin, Iraqi refugees are in need of culturally sensitive assessment and mental health treatment. The results are discussed in light of the treatment needs of Iraqi refugee clients, their resilience and motivation for a better life, and the ways that health professionals can assist in optimizing their adjustment.
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Comparative Study
Hispanics' experiences in the health system prior to hospice admission.
National data document that Hispanics are under-represented in hospice. Policy makers often attribute the under-representation to Hispanics' cultural values and preferences, however, another reason may be healthcare system barriers encountered by Hispanics. We explored Hispanics' versus Whites' experiences in the healthcare system prior to hospice admission to help account for Hispanics under-representation in hospice. ⋯ Whites' experiences were used as benchmarks to identify healthcare disparities for Hispanics. In four hospice agencies, Hispanic (n = 60) and White (n = 60) Medicare patients were interviewed. The results showed that prior to hospice admission, Hispanics had less access to health services known to be associated with hospice access.