Written by Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, MD, MSc, FACOG, Founder and Director of the Refugee Women's Health Clinic.

Refugee women are a vulnerable group who have been involuntarily displaced, are survivors of human rights abuses, and need special attention and care. Pre- and post-resettlement experiences of forced migration can have profound effects on women's reproductive health as refugee women are more likely to experience delays in accessing health services and disparities in reproductive health outcomes. Areas that require culturally sensitive care include not only pregnancy and childbirth, but also education and counseling on family planning, inter-conception care, screening for gender-based violence, sexually transmitted infections, preventive health, chronic diseases, and traditional cultural practices that may influence reproductive health.

The Refugee Women's Health Clinic (RWHC) of Maricopa Integrated Health System in Phoenix, Arizona is a unique patient-centered medical home for more than 1,500 refugee women, predominantly from Burma, Somalia, Burundi, Iraq, and Bhutan. RWHC provides comprehensive reproductive health services for refugee women including specialized care for women with female genital cutting. The multilingual staff, including refugee women who serve as Cultural Health Navigators, facilitates an integrated, team-based approach to health care delivery with intensive care coordination and case management that engenders women's trust and enhances their health literacy.

RWHC has a community partnership, engagement, and shared leadership infrastructure. Coordination of culturally competent care is facilitated through an interdisciplinary team of ethnic organizations, refugee resettlement agencies, mental health and social services agencies, and academic partners. Community-Based Participatory Research partnerships are currently underway to assess prenatal care utilization, maternal and neonatal delivery outcomes, refugee women's care experiences, and health service needs to better serve the community. Read more about refugee women's health > 

In the Literature    

Perspectives on preventive health care and barriers to breast cancer screening among Iraqi women refugees. Saadi A, Bond B, Percac-Lima S. (2011). J Immigr Minor Health.

Physical activity and nutrition among immigrant and refugee women: a community-based participatory research approach. Wieland ML, Weis JA, Palmer T, Goodson M, Loth S, Omer F, Abbenyi A, Krucker K, Edens K, Sia IG. (2012). Womens Health Issues, 22(2):e225-32.

Lost in translation: reproductive health care experiences of Somali Bantu women in Hartford, Connecticut. Gurnah K, Khoshnood K, Bradley E, Yuan C. (2011). J Midwifery Womens Health, 56(4):340-6.

Sexually transmitted infections in newly arrived refugees: is routine screening for Neisseria gonorrhoae and Chlamydia trachomatis infection indicated? Stauffer WM, Painter J, Mamo B, Kaiser R, Weinberg M, Berman S. (2012). Am J Trop Med Hyg, 86(2):292-5.

"They get a C-section...they gonna die": Somali women's fears of obstetrical interventions in the United States. Brown E, Carroll J, Fogarty C, Holt C. (2010). J Transcult Nurs, 21(3):220-7.

Indicators of acculturation related to Somali refugee women's birth outcomes in Minnesota. Flynn PM, Foster EM, Brost BC. (2011). J Immigr Minor Health, 13(2):224-31.

Looking for a suicide prevention training that incorporates the challenges and strengths of resettled refugees? RHTAC, in collaboration with Bhutanese community members, recently adapted a nationally recognized suicide prevention training model called Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and developed a toolkit that includes presentation slides, facilitator's guide, interactive training activities, and resource handouts. Download the free Toolkit and host a training > 

Newly published research confirms the on-going risk of elevated blood lead levels among refugee children from various developing countries. Two articles have documented high prevalence of elevated blood lead among refugee children from Burma: as high as 7.1% in Indiana and 14.5% in Thai camps. Of particular concern is the association of daily use of thanakha, a traditional cosmetic, with elevated blood lead levels.  

Learn more >

June 28-30, 2012

The North American Refugee Healthcare Conference will feature lectures and poster presentations from experts covering contemporary issues in refugee health, mental health, women's health, pediatrics, and primary care. RHTAC will be available to provide scheduled consultations with interested conference attendees. Keynote speakers are Eskinder Negash, Director, U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement and Martin Cetron, M.D., Director, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

Register now > 

World Refugee Day on June 20, 2012 is an occasion to raise awareness about the unique health needs and strengths of refugees. How are you highlighting refugee health in your community, family, or workplace this World Refugee Day? What refugee health events have you held in the past? Share your experiences and be inspired to hold an event.  

Join the conversation >