A Qualitative Inquiry of Older Afghan Refugee Women's Individual and Sociocultural Factors of Health and Health Care Experiences in the United States.
Hafifa Siddiq, Qais Alemi, Eunice Lee
PMID 36695336WHAT IT FOUND
Older Afghan refugee women described health as physical function, emotional well-being, family roles, and connection with God.
They relied on family to navigate care, and pain, language barriers, and provider mistrust shaped their health experiences.
Key findings
01Older Afghan refugee women described health as physical function, emotional well-being, social connection, and a spiritual connection with God.
02Family members were central to health decisions, interpreting, transportation, and advocacy, especially for women with higher dependency needs.
03More than half of women reported chronic health issues, and pain, language barriers, and poor communication with providers influenced stress and trust.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study reports perceptions, not outcomes from a tested intervention. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling, so they may not represent other Afghan refugee women. The sample was limited to Southern California and included women who had lived in the United States for many years. Women who were more integrated or more trusting of research may have been more likely to take part. Interviews were recorded, and the interviewer identified as a health care professional, which may have shaped answers.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. Publication types include NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that mosque-based or family-centered programs reduce depression or improve chronic disease care. The study describes perceptions from women, family members, and key informants. It did not test an intervention or measure patient outcomes.