scholarly journals Understanding the healthcare experiences and needs of African immigrants in the United States: a scoping review

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ogbonnaya I. Omenka ◽  
Dennis P. Watson ◽  
Hugh C. Hendrie
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Immigrant Health ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
African Immigrant ◽  
Healthcare Experiences ◽  
African Immigrant Health ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Background Africans immigrants in the United States are the least-studied immigrant group, despite the research and policy efforts to address health disparities within immigrant communities. Although their healthcare experiences and needs are unique, they are often included in the “black” category, along with other phenotypically-similar groups. This process makes utilizing research data to make critical healthcare decisions specifically targeting African immigrants, difficult. The purpose of this Scoping Review was to examine extant information about African immigrant health in the U.S., in order to develop lines of inquiry using the identified knowledge-gaps. Methods Literature published in the English language between 1980 and 2016 were reviewed in five stages: (1) identification of the question and (b) relevant studies, (c) screening, (d) data extraction and synthesis, and (e) results. Databases used included EBSCO, ProQuest, PubMed, and Google Scholar (hand-search). The articles were reviewed according to title and abstract, and studies deemed relevant were reviewed as full-text articles. Data was extracted from the selected articles using the inductive approach, which was based on the comprehensive reading and interpretive analysis of the organically emerging themes. Finally, the results from the selected articles were presented in a narrative format. Results Culture, religion, and spirituality were identified as intertwined key contributors to the healthcare experiences of African immigrants. In addition, lack of culturally-competent healthcare, distrust, and complexity, of the U.S. health system, and the exorbitant cost of care, were identified as major healthcare access barriers. Conclusion Knowledge about African immigrant health in the U.S. is scarce, with available literature mainly focusing on databases, which make it difficult to identify African immigrants. To our knowledge, this is the first Scoping Review pertaining to the healthcare experiences and needs of African immigrants in the U.S.

scholarly journals Understanding the Healthcare Experiences and Needs of African Immigrants in the United States: A Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ogbonnaya Isaac Omenka ◽  
Dennis P. Watson ◽  
Hugh C. Hendrie
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Immigrant Health ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
African Immigrant ◽  
Healthcare Experiences ◽  
African Immigrant Health ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Background: Africans immigrants in the United States are the least-studied immigrant group, despite the research and policy efforts to address health disparities within immigrant communities. Although their healthcare experiences and needs are unique, they are often included in the “black” category, along with other phenotypically-similar groups. This process makes utilizing research data to make critical healthcare decisions specifically targeting African immigrants, difficult. The purpose of this Scoping Review was to examine extant information about African immigrant health in the U.S., in order to develop lines of inquiry using the identified knowledge-gaps. Methods: Literature published in the English language between 1980 and 2016 were reviewed in five stages: (1) identification of the question and (b) relevant studies, (c) screening, (d) data extraction and synthesis, and (e) results. Databases used included EBSCO, ProQuest, PubMed, and Google Scholar (hand-search). The articles were reviewed according to title and abstract, and studies deemed relevant were reviewed as full-text articles. Data was extracted from the selected articles using the inductive approach, which was based on the comprehensive reading and interpretive analysis of the organically emerging themes. Finally, the results from the selected articles were presented in a narrative format. Results: Culture, religion, and spirituality were identified as intertwined key contributors to the healthcare experiences of African immigrants. In addition, lack of culturally-competent healthcare, distrust, and complexity, of the U.S. health system, and the exorbitant cost of care, were identified as major healthcare access barriers. Conclusion: Knowledge about African immigrant health in the U.S. is scarce, with available literature mainly focusing on databases, which make it difficult to identify African immigrants. To our knowledge, this is the first Scoping Review pertaining to the healthcare experiences and needs of African immigrants in the U.S.

scholarly journals Understanding the Healthcare Experiences and Needs of African Immigrants in the United States: A Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ogbonnaya Isaac Omenka ◽  
Dennis P. Watson ◽  
Hugh C. Hendrie
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Hand Search ◽  
Healthcare Experiences ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Background: Africans immigrants in the United States are the least-studied immigrant group, despite the research and policy efforts to address health disparities within immigrant communities. Although their healthcare experiences and needs are unique, they are often included in the “black” category, along with other phenotypically-similar groups. This process makes utilizing research data to make critical healthcare decisions specifically targeting African immigrants, difficult. The purpose of this Scoping Review was to examine extant information about African immigrant health in the U.S., in order to develop lines of inquiry using the identified knowledge-gaps. Methods: Literature published in the English language between 1980 and 2016 were reviewed in five stages: (1) identification of the question and (b) relevant studies, (c) screening, (d) data extraction and synthesis, and (e) results. Databases used included EBSCO, ProQuest, PubMed, and Google Scholar (hand-search). The articles were reviewed according to title and abstract, and studies deemed relevant were reviewed as full-text articles. Data was extracted from the selected articles using the inductive approach, which was based on the comprehensive reading and interpretive analysis of the organically emerging themes. Finally, the results from the selected articles were presented in a narrative format. Results: Culture, religion, and spirituality were identified as intertwined key contributors to the healthcare experiences of African immigrants. In addition, lack of culturally-competent healthcare, distrust, and complexity, of the U.S. health system, and the exorbitant cost of care, were identified as major healthcare access barriers.

scholarly journals Understanding the Healthcare Experiences and Needs of African Immigrants in the United States: A Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ogbonnaya Isaac Omenka ◽  
Dennis P. Watson ◽  
Hugh C. Hendrie
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
English Language ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Hand Search ◽  
Healthcare Experiences

Abstract Background: Africans immigrants in the United States are the least-studied immigrant group, despite the research and policy efforts to address health disparities within immigrant communities. Although their healthcare experiences and needs are unique, they are often lumped into the “black” category, along with other phenotypically-similar groups. These challenges stifle the means of accurately utilizing research data to make critical healthcare decisions regarding African immigrants. The purpose of this Scoping Review was to examine extant information about African immigrant health in the United States, in order to develop subsequent lines of inquiry using the identified knowledge-gaps. Methods: Literature published in the English language between 1980 and 2016 were reviewed in five stages: (1) identification of question and (b) relevant studies, (c) screening, (d) data extraction and synthesis, and (e) results. Databases used included EBSCO, ProQuest, PubMed, and Google Scholar (hand-search). The articles were reviewed according to title and abstract, and studies deemed relevant were reviewed as full-text articles. Data was extracted from the selected articles using the inductive approach, which was based on the comprehensive reading and interpretive analysis of the organically emerging themes. Finally, the results from the selected articles were presented in a narrative format. Results: Culture, religion, and spirituality were identified as intertwined key contributors to the healthcare experiences of African immigrants. Also, lack of culturally-competent healthcare, distrust, and complexity, of the US health system, exorbitant cost of care, were identified as major healthcare access barriers.

scholarly journals Discrimination Is Associated with Elevated Cardiovascular Disease Risk among African Immigrants in the African Immigrant Health Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 651-660
Author(s):  
Ruth-Alma N. Turkson-Ocran ◽  
Sarah L. Szanton ◽  
Lisa A. Cooper ◽  
Sherita H. Golden ◽  
Rexford S. Ahima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Immigrant Health ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Cvd Risk Factors ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
African Immigrant ◽  
African Immigrant Health

Background: African Americans and other persons of African descent in the United States are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Discrimi­nation is associated with higher CVD risk among US adults; however, this relationship is unknown among African immigrants.Objective: To examine the associations among discrimination, resilience, and CVD risk in African immigrants.Methods: The African Immigrant Health Study was a cross-sectional study of African immigrants in Baltimore-Washington, DC, with recruitment and data collection taking place between June 2017 and April 2019. The main outcome was elevated CVD risk, the presence of ≥3 CVD risk factors includ­ing hypertension, diabetes, high choles­terol, overweight/obesity, tobacco use, and poor diet. The secondary outcomes were these six individual CVD risk factors. The exposure was discrimination measured with the Everyday Discrimination Scale; summed scores ≥2 on each item indicated frequent experiences of discrimination. Resilience was assessed with the 10-item Connor- Davidson resilience scale. Logistic regression was used to examine the odds of elevated CVD risk, adjusting for relevant covariates.Results: We included 342 participants; 61% were females. The mean (±SD) age was 47(±11) years, 61% had at least a bachelor’s degree, 18% had an income <$40,000, and 49% had lived in the US ≥15 years. Persons with frequent experi­ences of discrimination were 1.82 times (95%CI: 1.04–3.21) more likely to have elevated CVD risk than those with fewer experiences. Resilience did not moderate the relationship between CVD risk and discrimination.Conclusion: African immigrants with frequent experiences of discrimination were more likely to have elevated CVD risk. Tar­geted and culturally appropriate interven­tions are needed to reduce the high burden of CVD risk in this population. Health care providers should be aware of discrimina­tion as a meaningful social determinant of CVD risk. At the societal level, policies and laws are needed to reduce the occurrence of discrimination among African immi­grants and racial/ethnic minorities. Ethn Dis. 2020;30(4):651-660;doi:10.18865/ed.30.4.651

scholarly journals Longer Residence in the United States is Associated With More Physical Function Limitations in African Immigrant Older Adults

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482097760
Author(s):  
Manka Nkimbeng ◽  
Yvonne Commodore-Mensah ◽  
Jacqueline L. Angel ◽  
Karen Bandeen-Roche ◽  
Roland J. Thorpe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Physical Function ◽  
Racial Discrimination ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
African Immigrant ◽  
High Discrimination ◽  
The Mean

Acculturation and racial discrimination have been independently associated with physical function limitations in immigrant and United States (U.S.)-born populations. This study examined the relationships among acculturation, racial discrimination, and physical function limitations in N = 165 African immigrant older adults using multiple linear regression. The mean age was 62 years ( SD = 8 years), and 61% were female. Older adults who resided in the United States for 10 years or more had more physical function limitations compared with those who resided here for less than 10 years ( b = −2.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [–5.01, –0.23]). Compared to lower discrimination, those with high discrimination had more physical function limitations ( b = −2.51, 95% CI = [–4.91, –0.17]), but this was no longer significant after controlling for length of residence and acculturation strategy. Residing in the United States for more than 10 years is associated with poorer physical function. Longitudinal studies with large, diverse samples of African immigrants are needed to confirm these associations.

Abstract P397: Social Determinants of Hypertension and Diabetes Among African Immigrants: The African Immigrant Health Study

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 141 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwabunmi Ogungbe ◽  
Ruth-alma N Turkson-ocran ◽  
Diana Baptiste ◽  
Binu Koirala ◽  
Cheryl R Dennison Himmelfarb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Immigrant Health ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
African Immigrant ◽  
African Immigrant Health

Introduction: The differences in the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Black ethnic groups in the U.S. remain largely unexplained. African immigrants are particularly likely to have high rates of hypertension and diabetes, and less likely to be screened, diagnosed or receive treatment. Objective: To examine the association between social determinants of health (SDoH) and hypertension and diabetes among African immigrants. Methods: The African Immigrant Health Study was a cross-sectional study of 465 African immigrants living in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Data collection was performed through a combination of physical examinations and questionnaires. The outcomes were self-reported hypertension and diabetes. Elements of SDoH collected were education, income, health insurance, employment and marital status. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between SDoH and hypertension/diabetes. Results: The mean age of participants was 46.8(±11.5) years and 60% were women; 64% had ≥ college degree, 83% were employed, 67% had health insurance, and 70% were married/co-habiting. Mean body mass index was 30.7 (±18.3) kg/m 2 . The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes was 32%, and 13% respectively. The odds of diabetes were higher amongst those who were unemployed [aOR: 2.86 (1.39-5.56)] ( Table ). Education, health insurance, income and marital status were not associated with hypertension or diabetes after accounting for age and sex. Conclusion: Among African immigrants, we observed that those who were unemployed had a higher likelihood of self-reported diabetes than those who were employed. Additional studies are needed to further study the contributions of social determinants of hypertension and diabetes as well as and developing health policy and interventions to improve cardiovascular health.

scholarly journals Where to Retire? Experiences of Older African Immigrants in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 455-455
Author(s):  
Manka Nkimbeng ◽  
Alvine Akumbom ◽  
Marianne Granbom ◽  
Sarah Szanton ◽  
Tetyana Shippee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Sociocultural Environment ◽  
Decision Making Factors ◽  
The U.S

Abstract The needs and conceptualization of age-friendliness likely vary for immigrant older adults compared to native-born older adults. For example, Hispanic immigrant older adults often return to their home country following the development of ill health. Doubling in size since the 1970’s, the aging needs of African immigrants are not fully understood. This qualitative study examined experiences of aging and retirement planning for African immigrant older adults in the United States (U.S.). Specifically, it explored the factors, processes, and ultimate decision of where these older adults planned to retire. We analyzed semi-structured interviews with 15 older African immigrants in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area. Data were analyzed using thematic analyses in NVivo. The majority of participants were women, with a mean age of 64. We identified three overarching themes with ten sub-themes. The themes included: 1) cultural identity: indicating participant’s comfort with the U.S. society and culture; 2) decision making: factors that impact participants' choice of retirement location, and 3) decision made: the final choice of where participants would like to retire. Age-friendliness for immigrant older adults in the U.S. is complex and it includes the traditional domains such as physical and sociocultural environment (e.g. housing, transportation, and income). However, immigrant age-friendliness also needs to include wider contextual aspects such as political climate in their country of origin, immigrant status, family responsibilities, and acculturation in the U.S. More research is needed understand and facilitate age-friendly environments for transnational immigrant older adults.

scholarly journals Mental Health Issues in Adolescents and Young Adult African Immigrants

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tolu Olupona ◽  
Oluwole Jegede ◽  
Clarety Keseke ◽  
Evaristo Akerele
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
African Immigrant

African Immigrants in the United States account for a rapidly growing population of immigrants in the country, constituting about four percent of the foreign-born population. The group has seen a significant population increase from 881,300 in 2010 to 1,606,914 in 2010. African immigrants are however not a monolithic population, as this number and diversity increases, there continues to be a growing need for mental health professionals to assess the peculiar mental health care needs and practices of this population. The primary African immigrant groups in the United States include Nigerians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, Ghanaians, and Kenyans. The delivery of optimal mental health care to this population involves a thorough comprehension of factors that influence mental health in African Immigrant populations. Such factors include the ethno-cultural background of families, the diversity of religions, immigration status, socio-economic status, language, family and sibling subsystems, identity issues and various forms of mental health stigma. Due to the complexity of these socioeconomic and cultural nuances, the mental illness presented by adolescents and young adult Africans are often atypical and their treatment requires appropriate cultural competence by physicians and mental health professionals. 

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