The Importance of Thorough Research Before Volunteering With Vulnerable Populations

Refugees are a vulnerable population that are forced to conform to a life that is totally and completely different from what they are used to. Not only is the food and clothing different, but also the concepts such as handwashing, applying deodorant, and having health insurance. Although refugees are given multiple resources, most, unfortunately, do not know how to utilize them. This is why the Refugee Education and Clinic Team was founded in the Fall of 2017. The Refugee Education and Clinic Team (REACT) is a collaboration between the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Arizona State University. REACT’s mission is to mitigate healthcare disparities. Mitigating the healthcare disparities that refugees can be as simple as holding a handwashing workshop. Educating is as crucial as providing health care. That excruciating tooth pain can be preventable with a dental hygiene workshop. Families will benefit from learning about pregnancy prevention. The stomach pain that many of the elders experience most likely will be from the gas caused by the food being consumed. Going to the communities and offering an hour of educating about health has and will positively impact refugee families. Ensuring that topics that will actually benefit these families is essential. Research is vital to inquire what health topics need to be taught and what services will be included in REACT’s scope of practice. The research conducted will be the Community Health Needs Assessment, which is a 9-page survey regarding health. My thesis will discuss this process and refugees. My thesis director is Dr. Lara Ferry and my second committee member is Dr. Erin Sellner.