Browsing by Subject "Burmese"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Effectiveness of Cross‐cultural Education for Medical Residents Caring for Burmese Refugees
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2016-09) McHenry, Megan S.; Nutakki, Kavitha; Swigonski, Nancy L.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Background: Limited resources are available to educate health professionals on cultural considerations and specific healthcare needs of Burmese refugees. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a module focused on cross-cultural considerations when caring for Burmese refugees. Methods: A brief educational module using anonymously tracked pre- and post-intervention, self-administered surveys was developed and studied. The surveys measured pediatric and family medicine residents' knowledge, attitudes, and comfort in caring for Burmese refugees. Paired t-tests for continuous variables and Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables were used to test pre- and post-intervention differences. We included open-ended questions for residents to describe their experiences with the Burmese population. Results: The survey was available to 173 residents. Forty-four pre- and post-intervention surveys were completed (response rate of 25%). Resident comfort in caring for Burmese increased significantly after the module (P = 0.04). Resident knowledge of population-specific cultural information increased regarding ethnic groups (P = 0.004), appropriate laboratory use (P = 0.04), and history gathering (P = 0.001). Areas of improved resident attitudes included comprehension of information from families (P = 0.03) and length of time required with interpreter (P = 0.01). Thematic evaluation of qualitative data highlighted four themes: access to interpreter and resources, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and relationship building with cultural considerations. Discussion: A brief intervention for residents has the potential to improve knowledge, attitudes, and comfort in caring for Burmese patients. Interventions focused on cultural considerations in medical care may improve cultural competency when caring for vulnerable patient populations.
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    Evaluating the Burmese Population and their Use of the Women, Infants, and Children Program
    (2020-10) Schultz, Lisa Klenk; O'Palka, Jacquelynn M.; Blackburn, Sara; Bigatti, Silvia M.
    This pilot study examines the use of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program by the Burmese population in Indianapolis, Indiana. A significant number of Burmese people migrated to the Indianapolis area starting in 2004. Many of them are families with young children and are enrolled in the WIC program. Language barriers and cultural differences make it more difficult for the WIC program to meet the needs of these families. To what extent is the WIC program meeting their needs? To answer this question, Burmese WIC participants enrolled in the Marion County WIC program were invited to participate in this study. Study participants received a survey at the time of their appointment at the WIC office. The survey included questions that focus on how the Burmese people feel about the foods provided and the nutrition education they receive on the program. Of the 30 study participants, 28 of them or 93.3% reported WIC as being very helpful. Some foods were reported as not being utilized as frequently by the Burmese population on the WIC program, including tortillas, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta. In addition, twenty six of the 30 participants or 86.7% reported the nutrition education they receive on WIC as being very helpful. Participants reported learning many new things through WIC nutrition education including how best to feed their infants and children, as well as breastfeeding being the best for their babies.