An exploratory study of resettled Rohingya refugees: Healthcare access and preventive cancer screenings

Abstract

Research suggests that preventive healthcare needs are high among U.S. refugees from Myanmar; yet no studies have examined healthcare patterns among U.S. Rohingya refugees. We examined participation in preventive cancer screening, healthcare access barriers, and facilitators in a community-based sample of 308 Rohingya refugees in Chicago, Illinois. Descriptives were conducted for the participation rates to preventive cancer screenings, indicated by age and gender. Chi-square tests were used to examine gender differences in barriers and facilitators in healthcare. Participants reported low participation in preventive screenings (e.g. 89.2% never received a Papanicolaou (pap) test). Healthcare access barriers were observed: 82.8% uninsured, 81.2% not knowing where to go for healthcare needs, and 55.1% needed interpretation, with men less likely to have had a doctor’s visit in the past year or a regular provider. Findings highlight the urgent need to further develop or tailor interventions to address the healthcare needs for resettled Rohingya refugees.