Immigrant and Refugee Health

Rana Al-qawsmi ’23 highlights health inequalities and works with vulnerable communities, especially women and children in refugee camps, raising awareness towards nutrition, healthy lifestyle promotion, and primary prevention.

Sarah Battistich ’17 and Medha Maklouf ’20 connected at the AFHE Miami All Fellows Convening about their experiences working with migrant populations. Inspired by the CDC's claim of public health interest under Title 42 in the United States, they collaborated on an opinion piece calling for the Biden administration to rescind Title 42.

James Huang ’18 and Marx Itabelo Lwabanya ’21 warned that in promoting renewable energy, wealthier nations could worsen health, housing and labor problems in the developing countries where materials are sourced, particularly for people who were displaced because of mining.

The AFHE Convening on Displacement & Health in Thessaloniki, Greece, inspired James Huang ’18 and Marx Itabelo Lwabanya ’21 to write about their experiences as physicians dealing with selective solidarity in the U.S. and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They wrote that solidarity with all refugees can reduce overall healthcare costs.

Gabrielle Jackson ’20 created a curriculum to facilitate spaces and open dialogue about mental health and well-being. It was made intentionally and purposefully with Black immigrants, both currently and formerly undocumented, in mind so that they may receive the support they need to be alive and well. However, it can also be used as a model to create other spaces for others.

Emily MacDonald ’18 leads business operations for Erie Family Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Illinois that serves patients in over 70 languages each year, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. As a Community Health Nurse at Erie for many years before that, she was part of an interdisciplinary team providing high-quality primary care to patients from around the world.