Barriers to health care for Vietnamese refugees.
This study was undertaken to determine the dynamics of why Vietnamese refugees may not optimally use existing health services in the United States. A random sample of 75 refugees was interviewed by a bilingual translator. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the effects of time of arrival on whether the following are barriers to care: not having a translator available in health care facilities, feeling understood by health care providers, being able to understand the written and verbal instructions of providers, and not having a primary provider. The hypothesis, that time-of-arrival groups would differ significantly on these variables, was supported (F = 4.81; df = 8,136; P less than .001). Concern about not having a translator in health care facilities ranked first in distinguishing the groups (F = 17.09; df = 2.71; P less than .001), followed by primary provider (F = 5.68; df = 2.71; P less than .01), feeling understood by the provider (F = 5.15; df = 2.71; P less than .01), and being able to understand written and verbal instructions given by the provider (F = 4.25; df = 2.71; P less than .05). The time-of-arrival groups also differed significantly on supplemental analyses. Subjects expressed willingness to seek more frequent health care if translators were available in health care facilities (F = 18.22; df = 2.72; P less than .001) and to change health care sites to gain a translator (F = 13.74; df = 2.72; P less than .001).
D'Avanzo
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CE
Health Promotion Unit, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs.
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003144:Communication Barriers; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D014175:Translating; D014481:United States; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology