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Barriers to Healthcare among African Immigrants in Georgia, USA

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Abstract

African-born immigrants are among the fastest growing immigrant groups in the US, yet they are underrepresented in healthcare research, particularly, cancer research and tend to be categorized as African American or Black, obscuring any cultural nuances that exist. A survey designed to provide insight on the barriers to healthcare, knowledge of common cancers, and cancer risks was utilized during a health fair. Data analyses included descriptive statistics to examine participant demographics and other study variables of interest. Most of the participants reported African origin (approximately 97%), were males (59%), were aged 18–40 years (49%), had a minimum of some college education (78%), a household income of >$50,000 (35%) and were mostly uninsured (45%). The cost of medical treatment 19 (45.2%) was reported as a major barrier to healthcare access. The Health Fair presented the opportunity to provide free health screenings, education/awareness, and referral to follow-up resources. The findings are evidence of the importance and impact of health fairs in communities of greatest need.

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Acknowledgements

This work was produced with support from the Marguerite Casey Foundation and the Redeemer’s Medical Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Satcher Health Leadership Institute, NCPC A-216C, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive S.W., Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA

    Oluwatoyosi A. Adekeye

  2. Redeemer’s Medical Center, 5875 Peachtree Industrial Blvd #370, Norcross, GA, 30092, USA

    Bola F. Adesuyi & Joseph G. Takon

Authors
  1. Oluwatoyosi A. Adekeye
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  2. Bola F. Adesuyi
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  3. Joseph G. Takon
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Correspondence to Oluwatoyosi A. Adekeye.

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Adekeye, O.A., Adesuyi, B.F. & Takon, J.G. Barriers to Healthcare among African Immigrants in Georgia, USA. J Immigrant Minority Health 20, 188–193 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-017-0549-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-017-0549-9

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