Project Summary:
Wisconsin is home to a growing refugee and immigrant population, with approximately 16,700 refugees resettled since 2001 and nearly 300,000 foreign-born residents overall. This community faces significant challenges in navigating complex healthcare systems and achieving positive health outcomes, often complicated by language barriers, cultural differences, and limited access to resources.
Catholic Charities-Milwaukee's Refugee and Immigration Services (CCRIS) has identified a growing need to expand their multilingual YouTube video series focused on health and wellness education. They will partner with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing to evaluate and expand their existing video education program, which creates culturally appropriate content in multiple languages.
The project will focus on video communication to accommodate viewers with low literacy, allowing parents to navigate health systems independently rather than relying on their children. Current health-related videos have accumulated thousands of views and have seen significant community engagement.
This initiative aims to develop a more comprehensive library of videos that will address specific health needs identified by the refugee and immigrant communities, including mental health, chronic disease management, healthcare navigation, and wellness topics. By providing accessible, culturally appropriate health education, researchers hope to reduce barriers empowering refugees and immigrants to better understand and advocate for their health needs. The findings will inform strategic decisions about expanding health education resources for immigrant communities throughout Wisconsin.
Community Partners: UW School of Nursing, Catholic Charities