Immigrant Women's Health

This is a significant and timely book. The chapters are rich indescribing clinical considerations and approaches to the immigrantpatient in a broad range of disease areas. I recommAnd this book toall administrators and clinicians who serve or plan to serve thegrowing immigrant populations in the United States.
--Henry Chung, medical director, Chinatown Health Clinic, New York,New York

Immigrant Women's Health offers doctors, nurses, and administratorsthe knowledge and tools they need to meet the challenge to providequality care for one of the United States' most vulnerable patientpopulations?immigrant women.

Providing readers insights into the knowledge, attitudes, healthbeliefs, health care practices, and health care seeking behavior ofimmigrant women, the contributors offer effective strategies forproviding culturally-competent, high-quality, cost-effective careto migrant women. Health care planners, policy makers, andadministrators who seek a clear understanding of the issuessurrounding health services utilization by immigrants and thedevastating effects of recent changes to federal policies will findthis book a vital and practical reference. BACKGROUND.

Demographics, Definitions, and Data Limitations (E. Kramer, etal.).

Culture and Multicultural Competence (E. Ferran, et al.).

Linguistic Issues (S. Riddick).

Health Services Utilization and Access to Care (S. Ivey).

Utilization of Mental Health Services (K. Chun & P.Akutsu).

The Impact of Recent Legislation on the Delivery of Health Care toImmigrants Welfare and Immigration Reforms in 1996 and 1997 (S.Ivey).

Proposition 187: California's Anti-Immigration Statute (N.Mizoguchi).

HEALTH PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS.

Screening, Infectious Diseases, and Nutritional Concerns InitialAssessment, Screening, and Immunizations (S.Ivey & S.Faust).

Infectious Diseases (R. Avery).

Nutritional Assessment and Dietary Intervention (M. Lee & S.Huang).
Prenatal and Reproductive Health Care (F. Taylor, et al.).

Chronic Diseases Cardiovascular Disease (S. Ivey & G.Gardner).

Hypertension (D. Lieberman, et al.0>

Diabetes Mellitus (E. Kramer & W. Bateman).

Breast and Cervical Cancer (B. Wismer).

Osteoporosis (E. Siegler & E. Kramer).

EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOSOMATIC, BEHAVIORAL, AND MENTAL HEALTHPROBLEMS.

Domestic and Sexual Violence Domestic Violence (S. Srinivasan &S. Ivey).

Sexual Violence, Rape, and War (K. Compton & D.Chechile).

Female Genital Mutilation (K. Compton & D. Chechile).

Depression and Anxiety Disorders (L. Tracy & S. Mattar).

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (L. Tracy).

Somatization, Neurasthenia, and Culture-Bound SyndromesSomatization Disorders (C. Hoover, et al.).

Culture-Bound Syndromes (A. Ng).

MEETING THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF IMMIGRANT WOMEN: MODEL PROGRAMSAND TOOLS.

Applications of Linguistic Strategies in Health Care Settings (S.Riddick).

A Model Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Support Group for CambodianWomen (J. Shepherd).

An Educational Program for Families on Intergenerational Conflict(Y. Ying).

The Korean Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Demonstration (B.Wismer, et al.).

A Case Study of Asian Health Services (S. Hirota).

A Cultural Competence Curriculum (E. Kramer & W.Bateman).

Cultural Competence Assessment of Practices, Clinics, and HealthCare Facilities (D. Andrulis). "The authors are to be commAnded for an outstanding review of thehealth issues of the newest members of our country. Increasingly weare reminded that human rights are women's rights. No country isexempt from this principle; infringement includes the prizes ofwar, bride burning, unnecessary surgery, sexual assault (domesticviolence), and lack of access to health care." (Jean Fourcroy, pastpresident, American Medical Women's Association; adjunct professor,urology, Uniformed Services University of Health Science, Bethesda,MD)

"This is a significant and timely book. The chapters are rich indescribing clinical considerations for and approaches to theimmigrant patient in a broad range of disease areas. I recommAndthis book to all administrators and clinicians who serve or plan toserve the growing immigrant populations in the United States.Particularly noteworthy is the book's emphasis on women's healthissues and the acknowledgment of the key roles women play inaccessing health care for their families." (Henry Chung, medicaldirector, Chinatown Health Clinic, New York)

"The time has come . . . to address the inequities in the deliveryof health care to all who reside in the United States. We must bewilling to . . . provide services and information . . .that meetcultural, psychosocial, and educational needs. This book goes along way toward achieving that goal by providing a solid backgroundon the major clinical, behavioral, and policy issues, problems andprospects as well as potential solutions and examples of exemplaryprograms which can be replicated. It comes to the marketplace not amoment too soon!" (Lillian Pardo Gonzalez, professor of pediatricsand neurology, University of Kansas School of Medicine)

"This book offers a comprehensive overview that can helpclinicians, health care leaders, and educators prepare forrequisite changes in health care delivery. The perspective onimmigrant women's health is refreshing, emphasizing positiveaspects as well as challenges experienced by immigrant women."(JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association) ELIZABETH J. KRAMER, a clinical epidemiologist and medical writer, is a research scientist in the Division of Primary Care Internal Medicine at New York University School of Medicine where she specializes in immigrant health and women's health. SUSAN L. IVEY is a family and emergency physician and a health policy research specialist in the Center for Family and Community Health, School of Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley. YU-WEN YING is a professor at the School of Social Welfare, University of California at Berkeley. Her major interests are Asian American mental health, immigrant and refugee adaptation, acculturation, and ethnic identity formation. There are 25.8 million immigrants-the largest number in more than five decades-living in the United States. These men, women, and children represent nearly 10 percent of this country's population. These immigrants, the majority of whom are women from Asia, Central America, and Eastern Europe, have a vital need for health and mental health services but often encounter cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers in their efforts to access care. Immigrant Women's Health offers doctors, nurses, and administrators the knowledge and tools needed to meet the challenge and provide quality care for one of this nation's most vulnerable patient populations-immigrant women.This valuable book provides insight into the knowledge, attitudes, health beliefs, health care practices, and health care seeking behaviors of immigrant women and offers a unique perspective on the health and mental health care problems they experience. The contributors include many of the leading clinicians and administrators in the field of immigrant health who offer valuable information and practical strategies for providing culturally-competent, high-quality, cost-effective care to migrant women from diverse cultures. Health care planners, policy makers, and administrators who seek a clear understanding of the issues surrounding health services utilization by immigrants and the devastating effects of recent changes to federal policies will find this book a vital and practical reference.Immigrant Women's Health summarizes the best practices in program development and addresses a wealth of compelling topics including? Reproductive health issues unique to foreign-born women? Chronic diseases and changes in disease patterns by generation of residence in the United States? Psychological implications of sexual violence, rape, and war? Effective programs that address linguistic barriers to obtaining optimal health care; treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder; issues related to screeni There are 25.8 million immigrants-the largest number in more than five decades-living in the United States. These men, women, and children represent nearly 10 percent of this country's population. These immigrants, the majority of whom are women from Asia, Central America, and Eastern Europe, have a vital need for health and mental health services but often encounter cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers in their efforts to access care. Immigrant Women's Health offers doctors, nurses, and administrators the knowledge and tools needed to meet the challenge and provide quality care for one of this nation's most vulnerable patient populations-immigrant women.

This valuable book provides insight into the knowledge, attitudes, health beliefs, health care practices, and health care seeking behaviors of immigrant women and offers a unique perspective on the health and mental health care problems they experience. The contributors include many of the leading clinicians and administrators in the field of immigrant health who offer valuable information and practical strategies for providing culturally-competent, high-quality, cost-effective care to migrant women from diverse cultures. Health care planners, policy makers, and administrators who seek a clear understanding of the issues surrounding health services utilization by immigrants and the devastating effects of recent changes to federal policies will find this book a vital and practical reference.

Immigrant Women's Health summarizes the best practices in program development and addresses a wealth of compelling topics including

• Reproductive health issues unique to foreign-born women
  
• Chronic diseases and changes in disease patterns by generation of residence in the United States
  
• Psychological implications of sexual violence, rape, and war
  
• Effective programs that address linguistic barriers to obtaining optimal health care; treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder; issues related to screening for breast and cervical cancer; and educational needs of health care providers
  
• A case study of one of the country's most innovative and successful immigrant health clinics

This much-needed resource gives health care professionals the insight and guidance needed to break down cultural barriers and improve quality of care for immigrant women.

Providing Quality Care for Immigrant Women

Immigrant Women's Health is an invaluable resource that offers the information and tools needed to meet the challenge to provide quality care for one of the most vulnerable patient populations in today's health care environment.

"The authors are to be commended for an outstanding review of the health issues of the newest members of our country. Increasingly we are reminded that human rights are women's rights. No country is exempt from this principle; infringement includes the prizes of war, bride burning, unnecessary surgery, sexual assault (domestic violence), and lack of access to health care."—Jean Fourcroy, past president, American Medical Women's Association; adjunct professor, urology, Uniformed Services University of Health Science, Bethesda, MD

"This is a significant and timely book. The chapters are rich in describing clinical considerations for and approaches to the immigrant patient in a broad range of disease areas. I recommend this book to all administrators and clinicians who serve or plan to serve the growing immigrant populations in the United States. Particularly noteworthy is the book's emphasis on women's health issues and the acknowledgment of the key roles women play in accessing health care for their families."—Henry Chung, medical director, Chinatown Health Clinic, New York, New York

"The time has come . . . to address the inequities in the delivery of health care to all who reside in the United States. We must be willing to . . . provide services and information . . .that meet cultural, psychosocial, and educational needs. This book goes a long way toward achieving that goal by providing a solid background on the major clinical, behavioral, and policy issues, problems and prospects as well as potential solutions and examples of exemplary programs which can be replicated. It comes to the marketplace not a moment too soon!"—Lillian Pardo Gonzalez, professor of pediatrics and neurology, University of Kansas School of Medicine