Cultural Resources - Information for Newcomers to the United States

The resources include information about the potential health conditions and cultural experiences of those who fled their homes and countries, which may be of interest to both displaced persons and their health care providers. Browse health information in multiple languages, arranged by language. You can also browse this information by health topic. From the U.S. National Library of Medicine

Publications with information about health care related to Covid-19, measles and rubella, mumps, polio, chickenpox, tuberculosis, Leishmaniasis, Hepatitis A and B, Influenza, RSV, Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease, scabies, hypothermia and frostbite, maternity, lice, mosquitos, ticks, as well as maternity and dental health. Available in Dari. Pashto, Farsi, Urdu languages.

Documents related to health conditions listed in the previous link along with information about benefits to newcomers and cultural orientation. Available in some or all of the following languages: Dari, Pashto, Farsi, and Arabic.

Health concerns to date have included pregnancy/prenatal and newborn care, diabetes and other non-communicable chronic diseases, dental disease, traumatic injuries in various stages of treatment and healing, respiratory infections, skin infections (e.g., scabies, cellulitis), gastrointestinal infections, chronic malnutrition, and stress.

Specific and detailed guidance for clinicians on caring for Afghan newcomers. Clinicians should be alert for vaccine-preventable infections (e.g., pertussis, measles, diphtheria, varicella, hepatitis A, and paralytic polio), especially among evacuees ineligible for vaccination due to age (e.g., measles in infants <6 months) or other contraindication (e.g., measles in pregnant women). From the CDC's Health Alert Network (HAN). With current updates.

Due to the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis, tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees are urgently resettling to individual states. In this rapidly evolving situation, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health have partnered to develop information to support Minnesota volunteers, and we also wish to share our work in the hope that it can help those in other states develop best and promising practices meeting the needs of newly arrived Afghan people. We encourage you to share this site with anyone who is supporting Afghan newcomers. Thank you for your interest.

Afghan evacuees arriving in the United States will be eligible for health coverage through Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Health Insurance Marketplace, or refugee medical assistance (RMA or other health coverage provided by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)). RMA is provided through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and administered in most cases by state Medicaid programs. Eligibility for each coverage program depends on the state where an evacuee is residing and the eligibility criteria for the respective program.

Archived Webinar hosted by the Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health on October 4, 2021. This webinar reviewed key considerations for health screening among newly arrived Afghan clients.

Archived Webinar. Afghan newcomers and other immigrants deserve equitable healthcare access and education, and that includes COVID-19 prevention and mitigation. This webinar, hosted by NRC-RIM, discussed how the Afghan Health Initiative, Washington State Department of Health, and clinicians serving refugee and immigrant communities have worked with community leaders to overcome challenges, build on community strengths, and improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Washington’s Afghan community.

Staying Healthy is an award-winning curriculum that is used throughout the United States. It is written at a 4th-5th grade reading level and is suitable for low intermediate level ESOL learners and above. The newly-released Staying Healthy for Beginners is written at a lower reading level, making it more accessible to learners at the high beginning level. Staying Healthy for Beginners is a curriculum that seeks to enhance students' understanding of health information, while at the same time improving their English language and literacy skills. Chapter 1 includes essential vocab, a story, and dialogue to practice. From the Florida Literacy Coalition.

Teachers' Guide. The resource provides a broad overview of various women’s health topics such as women’s health reproduction, pregnancy, and early childcare, and emphasizes certain cancers and diseases that many women face. This women’s health unit also explains dangers like domestic and sexual abuse. From the Florida Literacy Coalition.

In order to help ESL learners communicate with healthcare providers and learn more about staying healthy, SHINE created ELL health units which can be used by tutors and teachers. The content includes health topics such as dealing with emergencies and managing health problems, along with listening, discussion, reading, and writing activities.
Most useful features include:
-practice dialogues for communication with health care providers
-presentation of health care vocabulary
-tips geared to older adults
- lessons build upon each other
-learners are asked to express how they feel based on their experiences.

Introduces language that may be used during a trip to the doctor's office. Students will learn how to schedule appointments, describe pain and symptoms, and understand a voicemail message.

Covers vocabulary that a student might encounter when discussing surgery or a trip to the emergency room. Students will learn how to interact and speak assertively in an emergency room environment, and use the present perfect tense to describe their health history.

Specifically covers the vocabulary that accompanies high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Students will learn how to speak about the risk factors and symptoms surrounding these conditions.

Explores nutrition, exercise, and stress management as they related to the aging process. Students will learn how to improve their diet, increase their activity level, and manage stress

Covers medication and alternative medicine. Students will learn how to ask their doctor important questions about medication, prevent dangerous drug interactions, and discuss the pros and cons of alternative treatments.