Religious Barriers to Health for Members of the Bronx Ghanaian Immigrant Muslim Community in New York City.

This research investigated the influence of religious beliefs, as well as education, immigration status, and health insurance status, on the perceived access and willingness to use healthcare services by the Bronx Ghanaian Immigrant Muslim Community (BGIMC) in New York City. A survey was administered to 156 male and female BGIMC members. Members with insurance were nine times more likely to report access to health care and almost seven times more likely to use healthcare services in the past 12 months. Immigration status, health insurance status, and education did not predict willingness to use health care for a broken arm nor for a severe fever but did predict willingness to use health care when experiencing dizziness. Understanding the social and religious factors related to the use of healthcare services should lead to tailored health insurance and access initiatives for the BGIMC and serve as a model for other immigrant communities in the USA.

"When you walk in the rain, you get wet": a qualitative study of Ghanaian immigrants' perspective on the epidemiological paradox.

This study sought to understand the perceptions of Ghanaian immigrants of the health status and health trajectory of their community. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 63 primarily Ghanaian immigrants living in New York City. Nearly all participants observed that Ghanaians are generally healthy when they arrive in the US, but that their health declines over time. Participants identified four causes of this perceived deterioration: changes in health behaviors, increased stress, environmental exposures, and barriers to health care. Participants see themselves as being at risk for many health problems resulting from changes in lifestyle that follow immigration. Although some vulnerabilities are unique to their experience as immigrants, many of the risk factors they described are the same as those that affect other residents in the communities in which they live.