Publications by authors named "Crista E Johnson-Agbakwu"

Underserved communities were disproportionately affected during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Limited data exist on the impact of COVID-19 among refugee populations because refugee status is not often classified in electronic medical record (EMR) systems, unlike race or primary language. The study aim was to evaluate the PCR-based prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in a delivering population over the first 2 years of the pandemic by refugee status, ethnicity, insurance, and vaccination status.

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The past decades have seen large numbers of Somali women migrate across the globe. It is critical for healthcare workers in host countries to understand healthcare needs of Somali women. The majority of Somali female migrants experience female genital cutting (FGC).

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Background: The Women's Health Needs Study (WHNS) collected information on the health characteristics, needs, and experiences, including female genital mutilation (FGM) experiences, attitudes, and beliefs, of women aged 18 to 49 years who were born, or whose mothers were born, in a country where FGM is prevalent living in the US. The purpose of this paper is to describe the WHNS design, methods, strengths and limitations, as well as select demographic and health-related characteristics of participants.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey from November 2020 -June 2021 in four US metropolitan areas, using a hybrid venue-based sampling (VBS) and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) approach to identify women for recruitment.

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To evaluate the quality of Electronic Health Record (EHR) documentation practices of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) by medical providers. A retrospective chart review study of 99 patient encounter notes within the University of Minnesota health system (inclusive of 40 hospitals and clinics) was conducted. Extracted data included but was not limited to patient demographics, reason for patient visit, ICD code used in note, and provider description of FGC anatomy.

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Introduction: The maternal health experiences of African immigrant women, their utilization of health care services, and the effects on maternal health have received limited attention in research. This research explored the maternal health experiences of African immigrant women residing in Clarkston, Georgia, and their use of health services.

Methods: Fourteen African immigrant women responded to semistructured interviews.

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Community health workers are members of two groups whose short- and long-term health has been uniquely shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic: health workers and the oft-marginalized populations that they serve. Yet, their wellbeing, particularly of those serving resettled refugees, before and during the pandemic has been largely overlooked. Drawing from a holistic conceptualization of wellness, this study examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on a group of cultural health navigators (CHNs), who serve resettled refugees.

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Background: Visual imagery has been used to educate healthcare providers, patients, and the lay public on female genital cutting (FGC) typology and reconstructive procedures. However, culturally inclusive, diverse, and anatomically accurate representation of vulvas informed by women possessing lived experience of FGC is lacking.

Aim: We sought to apply World Health Organization (WHO) FGC typology to the development of type-specific visual imagery designed by a graphic artist and culturally informed by women with lived experience of FGC alongside a panel of health experts in FGC-related care.

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Background: Self-reporting female genital cutting (FGC) status and types by patients and clinicians is often inconsistent and inaccurate, particularly in community settings where clinically verifiable genital exams are not feasible or culturally appropriate.

Aim: In this study we sought to discern whether integrating multiple dimensions of participant engagement through self-reflection, visual imagery, and iterative discourse informed the determination of FGC status by a panel of health and cultural experts using World Health Organization (WHO) typology.

Methods: Using community-based participatory research, we recruited 50 Somali women from the Minneapolis-St.

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Refugees may be at higher risk of cervical dysplasia. The prevalence of screening, pathology, risk factors, and management of patients in our Refugee Women's Health Clinic (RWHC) was assessed. A retrospective review of RWHC patient records between 2009 and 2015 assessed demographic factors, medical history, initial chief complaint, prevalence of screening, HPV status, and loss to follow-up.

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While Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) continues to garner global attention, FGM/C-affected migrant communities, who are often racialized minorities in the U.S., face additional challenges which may impact their physical and mental health and well-being.

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To identify research and gaps in literature about FGM/C-related attitudes and experiences among individuals from FGM/C-practicing countries living in the United States, we conducted a scoping review guided by Arksey and O'Malley's framework. We searched Medline (OVID), Embase (OVID), PubMed, and SCOPUS and conducted a grey literature search for studies assessing attitudes or experiences related to FGM/C with data collected directly from individuals from FGM/C-practicing countries living in the United States. The search yielded 417 studies, and 40 met the inclusion criteria.

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Automated and accurate identification of refugees in healthcare databases is a critical first step to investigate healthcare needs of this vulnerable population and improve health disparities. In this study, we developed a machine-learning method, named refugee identification system (RIS) to address this need. We curated a data set consisting of 103 refugees and 930 non-refugees in Arizona.

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This study reviewed social support research with refugees in resettlement by assessing the scope of scholarship and examining methodological approaches, definitions, theoretical frameworks, domains, and sources of support. The scoping review followed a systematic approach that retained 41 articles for analysis. The findings indicate that refugee resettlement studies seldom conceptualizes social support as a central focus, defines the concept, draws from related theory, or examines multifaceted components of the construct.

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Introduction: There is scant evidence on the health morbidities experienced by Somali women and girls affected by female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and their resultant health-seeking behavior in the USA as compared to those who have not undergone the procedure. To fill this gap, we conducted a comprehensive examination of health morbidity among women and teenage girls with and without FGM/C in a Somali migrant community.

Methods: Using a comprehensive community-based participatory research approach, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 879 Somali women and teenage girls in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.

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In 2020, healthcare workers faced the COVID-19 pandemic amidst other salient sociopolitical stressors. This study, therefore, set out to examine associations between personal, work-related and contextual factors and three outcomes - stress, burnout and turnover intention - at a critical juncture in the pandemic. In December 2020, we recruited a broad array of healthcare workers (n = 985) in a public safety net healthcare system serving socially and economically marginalised communities in the Southwest region of the United States using a cross-sectional online survey.

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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has exposed disproportionate health inequities among underserved populations, including refugees. Public safety net healthcare systems play a critical role in facilitating access to care for refugees and informing coordinated public health prevention and mitigation efforts during a pandemic.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence ratios of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection between refugee women and nonrefugee parturient patients admitted to the hospital for delivery.

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The current national COVID-19 mortality rate for Black Americans is 2.1 times higher than that of Whites. In this commentary, we provide historical context on how structural racism undergirds multi-sector policies which contribute to racial health inequities such as those highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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To promote safe and positive health outcomes by utilizing culturally relevant evidence-based interventions for immigrant and refugee women survivors of intimate partner violence, their active participation in research is critical. With 43.6 million immigrants and refugees living in the United States, there is a need for research studies to eliminate health disparities in these populations.

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Migration from countries where female genital cutting (FGC) is practiced means women's healthcare providers need to meet this population's unique healthcare needs. We explored providers' FGC-related experience, knowledge of the cultural practice, prior training, attitudes towards medicalization, including reinfibulation, and clinical practice. An online, 53-question survey to a multidisciplinary sample of women's health providers in the US were recruited by email via professional organizations, medical departments, and the authors' professional networks.

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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression are common mental health disorders in the refugee population. High rates of violence, trauma, and PTSD among refugee women remain unaddressed. The process of implementing a mental health screening tool among multiethnic, newly arrived refugee women receiving routine obstetric and gynecologic care in a dedicated refugee women's health clinic is described.

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Objective: This study aimed to assess rates of Papanicolaou (Pap) testing and associations between religion-related factors and these rates among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of American Muslim women.

Materials And Methods: A community-based participatory research design was used in partnering with the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago to recruit Muslim women attending mosque and community events. These participants self-administered surveys incorporating measures of fatalism, religiosity, perceived discrimination, Islamic modesty, and a marker of Pap test use.

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