Author: Patrick Barnosky

“If I was a bird I would gather up my children and fly far from here”: The lived experiences, information needs, and information seeking behavior of resettled refugees from the Central African Republic in two communities in the United States

  By ,

Title: “If I was a bird I would gather up my children and fly far from here”: The lived experiences, information needs, and information seeking behavior of resettled refugees from the Central African Republic in two communities in the United States

Author: Bowden, Natalia

Date: 2017

Description: Poster from Project Welcome Summit, Chicago, IL, 2017. Includes data from interviews with refugees from CAR living in Worcester, MA and Clarkson, GA regarding information needs and challenges.

http://publish.illinois.edu/projectwelcome/files/2017/02/Bowdoin_poster_Project20Welcome20201720Large_FINAL.pdf 

Keywords: Central African Republic, Information Needs

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B.J. Perkins

A Garden for All: Refugee Participation in Community Gardens

  By ,

Title: A Garden for All: Refugee Participation in Community Gardens

Author: Amelia Angevine, Samuel Morrison, Caitlin Raph, Andrea Siemaszko

Description: Presentation of research for Clark University course ID 132. This research explores the participation of refugees in community gardens in Worcester, successes, challenges and opportunities for improvement.

https://commons.clarku.edu/localknowledge/40

Keywords: Community Gardens, Urban Agriculture

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

The Role of English Language Proficiency in the Process of Refugee Integration in Worcester

  By ,

Title: The Role of English Language Proficiency in the Process of Refugee Integration in Worcester

Author: Marianne Sarkis, Abubakar Gusau, Moudwe Diggs, Prayas Pun

Date: 2013

Description: This research was designed by students of Clark University to explore the importance of English language proficiency to refugees in their processes of resettlement in Worcester. The researchers found, through interviews with refugee participants of the African Community Education (ACE) organization, that limited English proficiency poses a challenge to refugees, but that English learning opportunities greatly facilitate their resettlement.

https://commons.clarku.edu/localknowledge/22

Keywords: English Proficiency, Refugee Resettlement

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

Factors Influencing Management of Type 2 Diabetes Among Vietnamese Seniors in Worcester, MA

  By ,

Title: Factors Influencing Management of Type 2 Diabetes Among Vietnamese Seniors in Worcester, MA

Author: Marianne Sarkis, Amelia Angevine, Chantal Begley, Kristina Nguyen, Thuha Le

Date: 2013

Description: This is a research project conducted by students as part of a Clark University course that examines the social and environmental factors contributing to type 2 diabetes in elderly people of Vietnamese in Worcester, MA.  The researchers focused on how diabetes management is affected by factors related to physical environment and community, such as accessibility of healthy lifestyle choices. This research was conducted through eleven individual interviews and seven focus groups.

https://commons.clarku.edu/localknowledge/17

Keywords: Type 2 Diabetes, Elderly, Vietnamese

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

Ghanaian Women’s Reproductive Health Worcester

  By ,

Title: Ghanaian Women’s Reproductive Health Worcester

Author: Marianne Sarkis, Brian Arsenault, Veronica Llanes, Allegra Marra and Surya Ry

Date: 2013

Description: This research was conducted by students as part of a semester-long course at Clark University, under the supervision of Professor Marianne Sarkis. The students interviewed six female residents of Worcester, who are from Ghana or of Ghanaian descent, and who had experienced pregnancy/birthing through the U.S. healthcare system. The researchers found that these women had a positive perspective on their experiences with the prenatal/natal healthcare system in the U.S.

https://commons.clarku.edu/localknowledge/23

Keywords: Reproductive Health, Prenatal Health Care, Ghanaian

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

Ability and Willingness to Change Among African Immigrant Patients at Akwaaba

  By ,

Title: Ability and Willingness to Change Among African Immigrant Patients at Akwaaba

Author: Marianne Sarkis, Temitayo Akinbola, Charise Canales, Hana Chamoun, Jacqueline Leaf

Date: 2013

Description: This research study was designed to investigate the relationship between understanding of high blood pressure, and willingness to modify lifestyle risk factors among African patients of Akwaaba, a free health clinic in Worcester. The study did not prove or disprove the hypothesis that lack of behavior change is due to lack of understanding of blood pressure management. However, additional findings were that language barriers, cultural differences and approach to health care inhibited adherence to dietary and medication regimens.

https://commons.clarku.edu/localknowledge/19

Keywords: Behavior Change, Health Care, Africans

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

African-Born Women’s Birth Experiences in Worcester, MA

  By ,

Title: African-Born Women’s Birth Experiences in Worcester, MA

Author: Marianne Sarkis, Anneke Kat, Maya Baum, Bernadine Mayhungu

Date: 2014

Description: This research paper was conducted as part of a class at Clark University. The researchers conducted a focus group with immigrant women and interviews with health care practitioners who serve the African population in Worcester. The findings were that community and social networks are important factors in a women’s experience during pregnancy and that there are differences in the way healthcare providers and patients understand interactions with each other.

https://commons.clarku.edu/localknowledge/29

Keywords: Pregnancy, Birth, African Women

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

Vicarious traumatization and vicarious resilience: an exploration of therapists’ experiences conducting individual therapy of refugee clients: a project based upon an investigation at Family Health Center of Worcester, Massachusetts

  By ,

Title: Vicarious traumatization and vicarious resilience: an exploration of therapists’ experiences conducting individual therapy of refugee clients: a project based upon an investigation at Family Health Center of Worcester, Massachusetts

Author: Megan C. Walsh

Date: 2014

Description: Master’s Thesis, Smith College School for Social Work. This qualitative research project focuses on the experience of vicarious trauma and resilience among therapists with refugee clients. The author finds through interviews that therapists with refugee clients are often affected emotionally by their client’s reports of trauma, and that they successfully employ coping mechanisms. These findings support other research that therapists may experience vicarious trauma and resilience.

http://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/850/

Keywords: Therapy, Therapists, Trauma, Resilience

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

Promising Practices Program

  By ,

Title: Promising Practices Program

Date: 2009

Description: The Massachusetts Refugee School Impact Program, administered by the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants, is a program to create partnerships between schools and organizations serving refugees, in order to assist refugee children adjust successfully to their schools and communities. 

Keywords: Refugee Children, School and Organization Partnerships

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B.J. Perkins

Designing a Bioshelter in Worcester

  By ,

Title: Designing a Bioshelter in Worcester

Author: Breen, John, Thomas Fay, Peerapat Luxsuwong, Mark Overdeest and Yunjae Sohn.

Date: 2015

Description: Qualifying Project Report, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

This project was intended to determine the most effective design for a bioshelter that would serve as a year-round urban food production system to be used and co-managed by refugees in Worcester, MA. This bioshelter was designed to take advantage of natural solar, wind and water resources, including a rain catchment system, a climate battery, thermal mass, composting, natural heating and ventilation systems. This project was designed to be built on two unused lots, and to serve as a gathering space as well as a food production site. Refugees living in Worcester will utilize the bioshelter to grow crops to sell and supplement their incomes.

Keywords: Bioshelter, Refugee farmers, Urban Farming, Year Round Farming

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins