Efforts Seek To Examine Language Barriers Among Trauma Patients, Raise HIV/AIDS Prevention Awareness Among Immigrant Communities, More

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Mental Health;  Public Health;  Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 08 Dec 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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The following highlights various efforts to address racial and ethnic health disparities.

• International Connections: Language service company International Connections is currently conducting a study that looks at how language barriers affect patient care in provider settings. The study will look at miscommunication between trauma victims and first responders at the scene of an automobile accident or other incident. Since 2004, researchers began surveying non-English speaking trauma patients about their communication with first responders and about the details of their accident. The interviews will continue through March 2009 and will seek to determine what role language plays at the scene of the incident (Burgener, International Connections abstract).
  
  
• Montgomery County, Md.: Health officials from across the state and nation gathered for a forum on Monday to discuss HIV/AIDS awareness efforts that target minority communities in the county, the Montgomery County Gazette reports. Some of the county's immigrant populations avoid being tested for HIV out of fear of being deported and stigma, attendees said. The forum focused on effective ways to reach the immigrant community, as well as youth and other minorities with prevention messages (Tomassini, Montgomery County Gazette, 12/3).
  
  
• New Jersey: The Horizon Foundation has awarded the Puerto Rican Family Institute with a $30,000 grant to help fund its initiatives, which included a number of health programs the Newark Star-Ledger reports. The institute operates a bilingual diabetes program, a weight management and depression program, which provides educational health and wellness workshops, and also provides follow-up treatment to help participants better manage their health. The foundation awarded 26 grants totaling more than $1.17 million (Shortell, Newark Star-Ledger, 12/4).
  
  
• Waterloo, Iowa: The Black Hawk County Health Department plans to request a 9.8% increase in tax revenue in part to help pay for mental health services in the black community, the Waterloo Courier reports. The $157,000 proposed increase also will pay for the county's home care aid program and for more clinic hours at sexually transmitted infection clinics (Krogstad, Waterloo Courier, 11/29).
  

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