title: Health-Needs Assessment for West African Immigrants in Greater Providence, RI.
abstract: African immigrants in the United States may experience barriers to health-care access and effectiveness. This mixed-methods study used paper-based surveys of people (N=101) in the target population from Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia, recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 clergy members who pastor churches with large Nigerian, Ghanaian, and Liberian populations, respectively; and five physicians and a clinical pharmacist who serve African immigrants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Length of stay in the United States was associated with the health status of refugee children. Undocumented immigration status was associated with lack of health insurance. Cardiovascular diseases, uterine fibroids and stress-related disorders were the most prevalent reported conditions. Regardless of English fluency, many immigrants are unfamiliar with medical terminology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  African immigrants in the state of Rhode Island need more health education and resources to navigate the US health-care system. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2017-01.asp].
authors.affiliation: graduate of the Brown University School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Akosua Boadiwaa
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Adu-Boahene
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Michael Barton
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Laws
authors.affiliation: Director of the Division of Hospitalist Medicine at The Miriam Hospital, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
authors.forename: Kwame
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dapaah-Afriyie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D054521:Cultural Competency; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000208:ethnology; D006266:Health Education; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007988:Liberia / Q000208:ethnology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009549:Nigeria / Q000208:ethnology; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012237:Rhode Island; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: African immigrants; cardiovascular diseases; cultural competency; health insurance; refugees