Health literacy, acculturation, and the use of preventive oral health care by Somali refugees living in Massachusetts

Title: Health literacy, acculturation, and the use of preventive oral health care by Somali refugees living in Massachusetts

Author: Geltman, Paul L. ; Adam, Jo Hunter; Penrose, Katherine L. ; Cochran, Jennifer; Rybin, Denis; Doros, Gheorghe; Henshaw, Michelle and Paasche-Orlow, Michael

Publication: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, Vol. 16

Date: 2013

Description: This study investigates the impact of English language proficiency, health literacy and acculturation on access to and use of preventive dental health services among Somali refugees in Massachusetts. To explore the impact on Somali refugees, the authors employed a cross sectional survey and interviewed 439 Somalis who are 18 or above and had arrived in the US no more than 10 years ago. The authors hypothesized that a higher degree of acculturation and better English language skills would make utilization of dental health services more likely. The analysis indicates that a high acculturation level has a significant association with the use of preventive dental care.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237084643_Health_Literacy_Acculturation_and_the_Use_of_Preventive_Oral_Health_Care-by_Somali-Refugees_Living_in_Massachusetts_

Keywords: refugees, preventive dental care, acculturation, health literacy

Cataloged by: Selina Sikder / B. J. Perkins

Challenges of policy and practice in under-resourced Asian American communities: Analyzing public education, health, and development issues with Cambodian American women

Title: Challenges of policy and practice in under-resourced Asian American communities: Analyzing public education, health, and development issues with Cambodian American women

Author: Tang, Shirley

Publication: Asian American Law Journal, Vol. 15

Date: 2008

Description: This article argues for the importance of gathering and analyzing disaggregated data on education, health, and community development for Cambodian American communities in the United States. The author uses demographic analysis and the stories of Khmer American women in the Metro Boston area to understand social, economic and cultural issues facing the broader Khmer community.

https://lawcat.berkeley.edu/record/1121573

Keywords: Cambodian, Cambodian American, education, health, Khmer American, women

Cataloged by: Alison Fulmer / B. J. Perkins

Differences in knowledge of Hepatitis B among Vietnamese, African-American, Hispanic, and White adolescents in Worcester, Massachusetts

Title: Differences in knowledge of Hepatitis B among Vietnamese, African-American, Hispanic, and White adolescents in Worcester, Massachusetts

Authors: Wiecha, John M.

Publication: Pediatrics, Vol. 104, No. 5

Date: 1999

Description: This study assesses the level of knowledge that Vietnamese adolescents have of Hepatitis B and how that relates to the knowledge of young people of other races and ethnicities. The study utilized a questionnaire to collect data from 2,816 middle-school and high-school students in Worcester, Massachusetts. The results of the study showed that adolescent knowledge of Hepatitis B was low overall and that the factors that most affected knowledge included race, age, level of education and academic performance, knowing someone with Hepatitis B, having been taught about Hepatitis B and degree of acculturation. The author concludes that adolescents, especially Vietnamese young people, should be given more health education on Hepatitis B.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10545576

Keywords: adolescents, adolescent health, health education, Vietnamese, Hepatitis B

Cataloged by: Alison Fulmer / B. J. Perkins

Understanding refugees in Worcester, MA: A demographic snapshot

Title: Understanding refugees in Worcester, MA: A demographic snapshot

Author: Fábos, Anita; Pilgrim, Maya; Said-Ali, Muinate; Krahe, Joseph and Ostiller, Zack

Publisher: Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise, Clark University

Date: 2015

Description: Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise, Paper 32

This paper examines data available through the US Census Bureau from the decennial and intercensus American Community Survey (ACS) to provide information concerning the current status of refugees in Worcester MA. It also utilizes city datasets related to education, employment and housing. Findings of this paper indicate that the number of refugees and asylees arriving in Worcester doubled during a five year period from 2007 – 2012.

http://commons.clarku.edu/mosakowskiinstitute/32/

Keywords: refugees, Massachusetts, census data, demographics

Cataloged by: Michelle Sigiel / B. J. Perkins

Report on a meeting: Iraqi refugees in Worcester, April 28, 2012

Title: Report on a meeting: Iraqi refugees in Worcester, April 28, 2012

Author: Ford, Richard

Publisher: Department of International Development, Community, and Environment (IDCE), Clark University

Date: 2012

Description: Results of a community planning workshop held at Clark University on April 28, 2012.

This report provides background on the experiences of Iraqi refugees who came to the United States and resettled in Worcester, MA. The report explains the aims of the workshop, comments on the stories shared by the Iraqis who attended concerning their hardships, frustrations, needs, accomplishments and hopes. It concludes with the next steps decided upon by the group which include more meetings and the formation of a steering committee.

Keywords: refugees, Iraqi, community planning

Cataloged by:  Michelle Sigiel / B. J. Perkins

The long trek from Bhutan to America: A journey from the foothills of the Himalayas to Concord, New Hampshire

Title: The long trek from Bhutan to America: A journey from the foothills of the Himalayas to Concord, New Hampshire

Authors: Ford, Richard in collaboration with Aparna Nepal, Sheela Pradhan, Mohan Sunuwar, Nimesh Dhungana, Douglas Hall, and a group of graduate students from Clark University

Publisher: Department of International Development, Community, and Environment, Clark University

Date: 2010

Description:  A report and recommendations from a planning workshop held on March 26-27, 2010

This report begins with background material describing the immigration of refugees from Bhutan to New Hampshire, mainly Concord, Laconia, and Manchester and the trauma they experienced while in refugee camps in Nepal. The report then discusses the aims of the workshop, the workshop itself and the recommendations for next steps decided on by the participants.  Members of the Department of International Development, Community, and Environment at Clark University conducted this workshop to assist the Bhutanese refugee communities in Concord and Manchester, N.H. to assess their highest priority needs and identity possible solutions by using participatory planning techniques. It includes data in the form of maps and charts collected from Bhutanese participants identifying locations in their cities that they value in an effort to assess what their needs might be on a community-wide basis.

http://www2.clarku.edu/departments/international-development-community-environment/docs/BhutaneseCaseStudy.pdf

Keywords: refugees, Bhutan, New Hampshire, participatory planning

Cataloged by:  Michelle Sigiel / B. J. Perkins

Becoming American: Building solidarity from within the Bhutanese community of Worcester

Title: Becoming American: Building solidarity from within the Bhutanese community of Worcester

Authors: Ford, Richard in collaboration with Hari Dhakal, Madhu Ghimire, Lalit Mishra, Purna Neupane, Purna Rai, Sheela Pradhan, Mohan Sunuwar and a group of graduate students from Clark University.

Publisher: Department of International Development, Community, and Environment (IDCE), Clark University

Date: 2010

Description:  A report and recommendations from a planning workshop held on December 4-5, 2010

The report provides background information about the Bhutanese refugees who have resettled in Worcester, MA. The report then discusses the aims of the workshop, the workshop itself and the recommendations for next steps decided on by the participants. Members of the Department of International Development, Community and Environment at Clark University conducted this workshop to assist the Bhutanese refugee community in Worcester to assess their highest priority needs and identify possible solutions using participatory planning techniques. The report includes maps and charts summarizing the needs outlined by the community to make it more self-sufficient and cohesive.

Keywords: refugees, Bhutan, participatory planning

Cataloged by:  Michelle Sigiel / B. J. Perkins

Educational outcomes of English Language Learners in Massachusetts: A focus on Latino/a students

Title: Educational outcomes of English Language Learners in Massachusetts: A focus on Latino/a  students

Author: Karp, Faye and Uriarte, Miren

Publication: Gaston Institute Publications, Paper 159

Date: 2010

Description: This paper analyzes the enrollment and outcomes of English Language Learners (ELL) in Massachusetts with a special focus on Latino students of Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The report provides state-level, district-level, and school-level recommendations for reforming current policy and practice with regard to teaching LEP students.

https://scholarworks.umb.edu/gaston_pubs/159

Keywords: education, English language learners

Cataloged by: Alison Fulmer / B. J. Perkins

Profiles of Asian American subgroups in Massachusetts: Vietnamese Americans in Massachusetts

Title: Profiles of Asian American subgroups in Massachusetts: Vietnamese Americans in Massachusetts

Author: Lo, Shauna and Tran, Thao

Publication: Institute of Asian American Studies Publications, Paper 30

Date: 2012

Description: This paper presents an overview of the socio-economic characteristics of Vietnamese American populations in Massachusetts focusing on populations in Boston and Worcester.

https://scholarworks.umb.edu/iaas_pubs/30

Keywords: Vietnamese Americans, Asian Americans, immigrants

Cataloged by: Alison Fulmer/ B. J. Perkins

Asia comes to Main Street and may learn to speak Spanish: Globalization in a poor neighborhood in Worcester

Title: Asia comes to Main Street and may learn to speak Spanish: Globalization in a poor neighborhood in Worcester

Authors: Ross, Robert J.S. and Driscoll Derickson, Kate

Publication: Local Knowledge: Worcester Area Community-Based Research, Paper 2

Date: 2008

Description: This paper investigates the appearance of an enclave of Vietnamese-owned businesses in a Main South neighborhood of Worcester, Massachusetts, a poor neighborhood with a large Latino population. In exploring this phenomenon, the authors examine global and regional economic trends and their effect on immigration, the social and economic context of immigration in Worcester and the literature on immigrant entrepreneurs and ethnic enclaves. The paper concludes by considering the prospects for this particular enclave of immigrant entrepreneurs as well as other immigrants in Worcester.

http://commons.clarku.edu/localknowledge/2

Keywords: Asian Americans, immigration, Vietnamese Americans, ethnic enclave, entrepreneurs

Cataloged by: Alison Fulmer / B. J. Perkins