Social Intervention for Health Action - PowerPoint Presentation

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Social Intervention for Health Action (SIHA)A Public Health Intervention in Greater New Britain

Fawatih Mohamed-Abouh, MD, MPHOffice of Family and Child Affairs, Sudanese American House in CT Corp.

In this presentation:Short BioDescription of the 501 (c) (3) Nonprofit Organization Project Description: What is the goal of this project? Where is it going to take place? What is the targeted population? Who is doing this project? Addressed Public Health need

Sustainability5/15/2018Office of Family and Child Affairs - Sudanese American House in CT

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Short Bio:Fawatih Mohamed-Abouh, MD, MPH: A Sudanese native physician who practiced medicine in Sudan and in Oman Migrated to the US with my family and became resident of New Britain city since 2010

Had a master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Connecticut, in 2016 A researcher and a program evaluator at UConn Health

Head of Office of Family and Child Affairs in the community organization:

Sudanese American House in Connecticut Corp

.

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SAHSudanese American House in CT is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, founded in November 2017Mission is to improve the life of Sudanese natives in CT, and to engage members of this community in the American societyOffice of Family and Child Affairs in this organization focuses on improving the health and the quality of life of Sudanese migrant women and families in CT, and conducts projects that aim at advancing the life of women and children

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Recent Immigrants“Newcomers want the same things in a community that long-time residents want: safe and secure neighborhoods, access to good schools, parks, libraries and streets, and profitable business opportunities” * Lena Tam, A Council Member, City of Alameda, CA* A Local Official’s Guide to Immigrant Civic Engagement, by: Greg

Keidan, Institute for Local Government, Sacramento, CA, 20085/15/2018

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Immigrant’s Isolation5/15/2018

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SIHA Project DescriptionSIHA is a new program, Social Intervention for Health Action (SIHA, meaning health in Arabic).

Project GoalSIHA is aiming at improving the health of recent immigrant Muslim and Arabic speaking women in Greater New Britain, by assisting them to effectively utilize the United States (US) health care system and orient them to the prevention goals of “Healthy People 2020 (CDC, 2010).” 5/15/2018Office of Family and Child Affairs - Sudanese American House in CT

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ObjectivesTo raise awareness about US health care services in general and preventive services in particular among the targeted populationTo develop and implement a cultural competence training for health care providers in GNB towards Arabic and Muslim womenTo empower women to take charge of their health5/15/2018Office of Family and Child Affairs - Sudanese American House in CT

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“Preventive Health Care among Immigrant Sudanese Women in the Greater Hartford Area of Connecticut”A Master’s in Public Health thesis on the health and prevention needs of Sudanese migrant women in the Greater Hartford Area of CT (Mohamed-Abouh, 2016). The study findings showed that immigrant Sudanese women were less adherent to preventive health measures, which is the case for most of minority women. Examined preventive health measures were: Mammogram for Breast cancer screening, Pap testing for Cervical cancer screening, and maintaining a regular physical check-ups.5/15/2018

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In-depth interview data showed multiple factors affecting the health decisions made by these women, such as: Cultural insensitivity towards this population among health care providers, Lack of Sudanese women’s awareness of available preventive health services due to differences between the health care system in the US and in women’s home countries,Lack of connectivity to the US health system and the American community Women staying at home, with men work in low level jobsInability to duplicate advanced degrees and professions from home country, the result can be low self-esteem and less empowerment

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Targeted PopulationThe project will target women from multiple Arabic or Muslim backgrounds (minimum of 400 families) in NB.Key informants from these groups in NB estimated that there are:More than 200 families originally from YemenMoroccan are almost 100 familiesSudanese native families are between 50 to 70Somali families are around 100 Other nationalities of origin include: Persia, Tunisia, Egypt and Palestine5/15/2018

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Project ActivitiesThis is a two-year proposed project A multi-level intervention, based on Social Ecological Model*5/15/2018Office of Family and Child Affairs - Sudanese American House in CT

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Multi-level interventionLevelActivityOutcome

Individual (women)Awareness events about health care that targets small groupsRaised awareness among women

Social

network (men and families)

Awareness events about health and other social topic, and health fairs

Engagement

of families

Organization (care providers)

Training on cultural sensitivity towards Arabic women

Culturally

sensitive health care services

Policy development

Formation of an

advocacy group that address needs

Group for advocacy

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Timeline5/15/2018Office of Family and Child Affairs - Sudanese American House in CT15

Project Kick-off

Baseline Data Collection

8.2018

Awareness Events

Development of Cultural C. Material

Provider Cultural C. Training

Finish-up

7.2020

Pre-survey

Pre-survey

EvaluationPre-Post surveysFocus GroupsIn-depth Interviews with key informants and care providersAnalysis of quantitative and qualitative data5/15/2018Office of Family and Child Affairs - Sudanese American House in CT

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Project teamProject coordinator: have a medical or health care background, fluent in Arabic and EnglishOutreach staff: from the targeted populationSIHA Coalition: with all member organizations and will serve as a steering committeeAdvisory board:Dr. Stephen Schensul, Professor of Community Medicine and Health Care, UConn

Dr. Jean Schensul, founder and Senior Scientist, Institute of Community Research (ICR) and an experienced health intervention researcher, Dr. Amanda Durante, Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Medicine and Health care at UConn Health

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Project Partnership (Coalition)City of New Britain (Public Health Department and Community Services Department)The YWCAProvider Network of GNBDr. Othman El-Alami, a private physician in Kensington, CT. is representing both New Britain and Berlin Mosques Other potential partners:Central CT Public Health DistrictThe Hospital of Central

CTFederally Qualified Community Health Center in New BritainA representative of a Church in New BritainWomen representing multiple

Arabic background, grassroots groups

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Sustainability:This project will be a pilot for a larger scope project that cover more area and with more expanded activities A grant proposal was submitted to the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin (CCNBB), Ultimate goal is to apply for federal funding from National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institute of Health (NIH)5/15/2018

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Thank you!