Immigrant Women's Health

ELIZABETH J. KRAMER, a clinical epidemiologist and medical writer, is a research scientist in the Division of Primary Care Internal Medicine at New York University School of Medicine where she specializes in immigrant health and women's health. SUSAN L. IVEY is a family and emergency physician and a health policy research specialist in the Center for Family and Community Health, School of Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley. YU-WEN YING is a professor at the School of Social Welfare, University of California at Berkeley. Her major interests are Asian American mental health, immigrant and refugee adaptation, acculturation, and ethnic identity formation.

"The authors are to be commAnded for an outstanding review of thehealth issues of the newest members of our country. Increasingly weare reminded that human rights are women's rights. No country isexempt from this principle; infringement includes the prizes ofwar, bride burning, unnecessary surgery, sexual assault (domesticviolence), and lack of access to health care." (Jean Fourcroy, pastpresident, American Medical Women's Association; adjunct professor,urology, Uniformed Services University of Health Science, Bethesda,MD) "This is a significant and timely book. The chapters are rich indescribing clinical considerations for and approaches to theimmigrant patient in a broad range of disease areas. I recommAndthis book to all administrators and clinicians who serve or plan toserve the growing immigrant populations in the United States.Particularly noteworthy is the book's emphasis on women's healthissues and the acknowledgment of the key roles women play inaccessing health care for their families." (Henry Chung, medicaldirector, Chinatown Health Clinic, New York) "The time has come . . . to address the inequities in the deliveryof health care to all who reside in the United States. We must bewilling to . . . provide services and information . . .that meetcultural, psychosocial, and educational needs. This book goes along way toward achieving that goal by providing a solid backgroundon the major clinical, behavioral, and policy issues, problems andprospects as well as potential solutions and examples of exemplaryprograms which can be replicated. It comes to the marketplace not amoment too soon!" (Lillian Pardo Gonzalez, professor of pediatricsand neurology, University of Kansas School of Medicine) "This book offers a comprehensive overview that can helpclinicians, health care leaders, and educators prepare forrequisite changes in health care delivery. The perspective onimmigrant women's health is refreshing, emphasizing positiveaspects as well as challenges experienced by immigrant women."(JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association)

• BACKGROUND. Demographics, Definitions, and Data Limitations (E. Kramer, etal.). Culture and Multicultural Competence (E. Ferran, et al.). Linguistic Issues (S. Riddick). Health Services Utilization and Access to Care (S. Ivey). Utilization of Mental Health Services (K. Chun & P.Akutsu). The Impact of Recent Legislation on the Delivery of Health Care toImmigrants Welfare and Immigration Reforms in 1996 and 1997 (S.Ivey). Proposition 187: California's Anti-Immigration Statute (N.Mizoguchi). HEALTH PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS. Screening, Infectious Diseases, and Nutritional Concerns InitialAssessment, Screening, and Immunizations (S.Ivey & S.Faust). Infectious Diseases (R. Avery). Nutritional Assessment and Dietary Intervention (M. Lee & S.Huang).Prenatal and Reproductive Health Care (F. Taylor, et al.). Chronic Diseases Cardiovascular Disease (S. Ivey & G.Gardner). Hypertension (D. Lieberman, et al.0> Diabetes Mellitus (E. Kramer & W. Bateman). Breast and Cervical Cancer (B. Wismer). Osteoporosis (E. Siegler & E. Kramer). EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOSOMATIC, BEHAVIORAL, AND MENTAL HEALTHPROBLEMS. Domestic and Sexual Violence Domestic Violence (S. Srinivasan &S. Ivey). Sexual Violence, Rape, and War (K. Compton & D.Chechile). Female Genital Mutilation (K. Compton & D. Chechile). Depression and Anxiety Disorders (L. Tracy & S. Mattar). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (L. Tracy). Somatization, Neurasthenia, and Culture-Bound SyndromesSomatization Disorders (C. Hoover, et al.). Culture-Bound Syndromes (A. Ng). MEETING THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF IMMIGRANT WOMEN: MODEL PROGRAMSAND TOOLS. Applications of Linguistic Strategies in Health Care Settings (S.Riddick). A Model Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Support Group for CambodianWomen (J. Shepherd). An Educational Program for Families on Intergenerational Conflict(Y. Ying). The Korean Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Demonstration (B.Wismer, et al.). A Case Study of Asian Health Services (S. Hirota). A Cultural Competence Curriculum (E. Kramer & W.Bateman). Cultural Competence Assessment of Practices, Clinics, and HealthCare Facilities (D. Andrulis).