Maternal-child immigrant health training: changing knowledge and attitudes to improve health care delivery

https://doi.org/10.1016/0738-3991(95)00786-5Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper reports the development, implementation and evaluation of a training program for all levels of staff of Maternity Infant Care Family Planning Centers in New York City. The learner-centered training is designed to enhance cross-cultural sensitivity and communication skills. It provides epidemiological and patient management skills for serving ethnically diverse populations and focuses on skills training, such as the cross-linguistic, cross-cultural interview, and using epidemiological principles in diagnosis and treatment. In addition to the core curriculum, each module is tailored to the site-specific information needs of the participants, as determined during individualized needs assessments. There are five sessions: the cross-cultural medical interview and working with interpreters; epidemiologic issues; attitudes and practices in maternal child health; family dynamics and interactions; and a session devoted to follow-up and evaluation. This training has been very successful in enhancing health care providers' sensitivity toward immigrant health issues. Pre- and post-test measurements found statistically significant improvements in the knowledge and attitudes of participants. Patient care has been greatly improved.

References (75)

  • DD Hopkins et al.

    Indochinese refugee fertility rates and pregnancy risk factors

    Am J Public Health

    (1983)
  • S Guendelman et al.

    Generational differences in perinatal health among the Mexican American population: findings from HHANES 1982–1984

    Am J Public Health

    (1990)
  • R Scribner et al.

    Acculturation and low birthweight among Latinos in the Hispanic HANES

    Am J Public Health

    (1989)
  • G Marin et al.

    Cigarette smoking among San Francisco Hispanics: the role of acculturation and gender

    Am J Public Health

    (1989)
  • P Wolfgang et al.

    Cancer incidence in New York City Hispanics, 1982 to 1985

    Ethnicity Dis

    (1991)
  • N Galli et al.

    Health education and sensitivity to cultural, religious, and ethnic beliefs

    J Sch Health

    (1987)
  • PA Dempsey et al.

    The childbearing Haitian refugee-cultural applications to clinical nursing

    Public Health Rep

    (1983)
  • J Ellis

    Southeast Asian refugees and maternity care: the Oakland experience

    Birth

    (1982)
  • M Mathews et al.

    Vietnamese behavioral and dietary precautions during confinement

    Ecol Food Nutr

    (1991)
  • K Nyce et al.

    Southeast Asian refugees of Rhode Island: reproductive beliefs and practices among the Hmong

    RI Med J

    (1984)
  • KJ Park et al.

    Beliefs, practices, and experiences of Korean women in relation to childbirth

    Health Care Women Int

    (1991)
  • PA Poma

    Pregnancy in Hispanic women

    J Natl Med Assoc

    (1987)
  • C Sargent et al.

    Aspects of Khmer medicine among refugees in urban America

    Med Anthropol Q

    (1984)
  • PN Stern

    Solving problems in cross-cultural health teaching: the Filipino childbearing family

    Image

    (1981)
  • AO Hollingsworth et al.

    The refugees and childbearing: what to expect

    Reg Nurs

    (1980)
  • L Desantis

    Health care orientations of Cuban and Haitian immigrant mothers: implications for health care professionals

    Med Anthropol

    (1990)
  • L Desantis et al.

    The immigrant Haitian mother: transcultural nursing perspective on preventive health care for children

    J Transcult Nurs

    (1990)
  • C Green

    Culture, health care and the new Caribbean immigrants: implications for new health policy and planning

    Migration Today

    (1984)
  • B Velimirovic

    Modern medicine and medical anthropology in the United States-Mexico border population

    (1978)
  • WH Kuo et al.

    Social networking, hardiness, and immigrants' mental health

    J Health Soc Behav

    (1986)
  • J Luoto

    Epidemiologic issues in refugee populations

  • R Lorion

    Research on psychotherapy and behavior change with the disadvantaged: past, present and future directions

  • R Lorion et al.

    Research on psychotherapy and behavior change with the disadvantaged

  • GJ Pine

    Counseling minority groups: a review of the literature

    Couns Values

    (1972)
  • P Wade et al.

    Culture sensitivity training and counselor's race: effects on black female clients' perception and attrition

    J Couns Psychol

    (1991)
  • New York City Department of Health/Child Health Action Management Plan

    Prenatal Care Appointment Study: A Survey by the Infant Mortality Work Group of the Mayor's Advisory Council on Child Health

    (September, 1992)
  • R Becerra

    Knowledge and use of child health services by Chinese-Americans

    Health Soc Work

    (1981)
  • Cited by (23)

    • Communication adaptations for a diverse international patient population

      2017, Journal of Association of Physicians of India
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text