To Seek or Not to Seek: Examining Health-Seeking Behaviors among Ethiopian Immigrants in the United States
Abstract
Existing literature suggests that immigrants underutilize U.S. health care. Care utilization
is associated with poor health for both patients and those around them. Current health
care research lacks data specific to Ethiopian immigrants and the influences of their
health-seeking behaviors. Such research is necessary, as the Trump Administration
has made recent efforts in reforming health care and immigration policies. Therefore,
the goal of this thesis is to investigate the reasons why Ethiopian immigrants choose
and choose not to seek American health care. Past studies have identified (1) language
differences with providers and (2) perceived discrimination from providers as barriers
and (1) existing insurance coverage and (2) positive word-of-mouth testimonials from
social networks as facilitators to health care use for immigrants. These identified
factors served as the hypotheses for this thesis. Moreover, focus group methodology
was applied to explore these hypotheses. Five focus groups were conducted with a total
of 26 Ethiopian patients (n = 26) of Learn and Live Wholestic Health Services, a public
clinic located in Northern Virginia, from July 2017 to August 2017. The focus group
discussions highlighted both hypothesized and emerging themes. Language was not a
barrier to health care for participants, but there was variation on characterizing
social discrimination as a barrier. Public insurance was a facilitator and private
insurance was a barrier to utilization. Positive testimonials were strongly regarded
as facilitators. In terms of emerging themes, one’s attachment to Ethiopian traditionalism
arose as a barrier, while professionalism of U.S. health care was branded a facilitator.
This thesis concludes by providing the following policy implications: implementation
of health advertisements in Ethiopian immigrant communities, development of tools
to solicit Ethiopian ideas, improvement of language services in health facilities,
and further health research on Ethiopians immigrants.
Type
Honors thesisDepartment
Public Policy StudiesSubject
health careEthiopia
immigrants
Ethiopian immigrants
health care policy and reform
health care perceptions
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/16022Citation
Elias, Blaine (2018). To Seek or Not to Seek: Examining Health-Seeking Behaviors among Ethiopian Immigrants
in the United States. Honors thesis, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/16022.Collections
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