|
The Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers’ annual conference, the International Refugee and Migration Health Conference (formerly known as the North American Refugee Health Conference, or NARHC) will be held in Halifax, Canada, June 27-29, 2025.
They have opened their call for abstracts, due Feb. 1, 2025. Read more and submit your abstract today at Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers: Abstract Submissions.
The following recordings have recently been approved for accessibility and are posted on our Trainings: Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health webpage:
In partnership with ECHO Colorado, the Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health has been hosting a monthly training on newcomer health since Oct. 25, 2022.
We are currently planning the 2025 series and plan on having the first session in April 2025.
Until then, you can access and explore past session materials on the Newcomer Health ECHO Resource Page and be the first to sign up for this year’s session when registration opens on the new ECHO Colorado: Newcomer Health website! Please note that you may need to clear your internet history/cache before registering on this new website.
Short Course on Multilingual Approaches to Research Studies
May 21-23, 2025
Roberts Center for Pediatric Research | Philadelphia, PA
Application deadline: April 15, 2025
Expand your research skillset to better engage children and families who prefer a language other than English in health research via the Short Course on Multilingual Approaches to Research Studies. Join experts from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and peer institutions across the country May 21-23 in Philadelphia for a hands-on course featuring lectures, case studies, workshops, and consultations.
This course is tailored to graduate, postdoctoral, early career, and senior investigators from a wide range of academic disciplines. The course also supports career development for multilingual investigators from underrepresented backgrounds by providing training to leverage language skills for multilingual research and grant-seeking. Course faculty have expertise in applied linguistics, translation and interpreting studies, community engagement, public health, nursing research, and medicine.
Scholarships are available. Learn more and Apply Today for the Short Course on MARS 2025.
Questions? Email ShortCourseOnMARS@chop.edu
H5N1 (also known as avian influenza or bird flu) has been rising in the news, with the total confirmed human cases nearing 70 at the beginning of January, including one death. CDC has put out the following key points to know (CDC H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation):
- H5N1 is widespread in wild birds worldwide and has been causing recent outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, with several recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers.
- While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures.
- CDC is using its flu surveillance systems to monitor for H5N1 activity in people.
CDC recommends avoiding direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected to be infected with H5N1. If someone cannot avoid direct/close contact, they are advised to wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
CDC Clinician Brief: Evaluating and Managing Patients Exposed to Animals or Persons Infected with Novel Influenza A Viruses of Public Health Concern
Here are a couple of translated resources in Spanish:
Varicella Exposures
On Dec. 18, 2024, CDC notified its domestic partners to raise awareness of a varicella exposure in refugees from Kenya. On Dec. 31, 2024, CDC again notified its domestic partners regarding another varicella exposure among refugees in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In both cases, all eligible family members of the index cases received a dose of varicella vaccine within the recommended five-day window and the family’s travel was delayed until the index cases recovered. The CDC, in partnership with in-country and international partners, will continue to monitor the situation in Kenya and Ethiopia, and will follow up with additional information as it becomes available.
Domestic health care providers should be aware that it is possible for exposed, non-immune contacts to develop varicella within 21 days after exposure to a case. However, administration of post-exposure vaccination (varicella vaccine within five days of exposure) reduces risk of developing varicella. To further reduce risk of infection, CDC: ACIP Recommendations: Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine should be followed for all persons. More information on ACIP recommendations for varicella vaccination and post-exposure vaccination can be found at CDC: Varicella Vaccine Recommendations.
Cholera Outbreak
On Dec. 26, 2024, CDC notified its domestic partners to raise awareness of a confirmed cholera outbreak in Myanmar and Thailand, along the border. As of Dec. 23, 2024, close to 300 cumulative cases, 56 with severe condition and two deaths, have been reported in Swe Koke Ko, Myanmar. Additionally, two cases with travel history from Myanmar were hospitalized with cholera in Thailand, with one being discharged. Among these cases, initial laboratory results have confirmed V. cholerae O1 Ogawa. The extent of the outbreak is under investigation and control measures are being implemented, including border closure in Thailand.
To prevent the spread of cholera, CDC has recommended a five-day predeparture surveillance period for refugees from camps along the border and is working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), and in-country partners to implement this public health measure. During the predeparture surveillance period, IOM medical staff will monitor refugees daily and refer those with symptoms of diarrhea or illness for immediate medical evaluation. Additionally, health education on the signs and symptoms of cholera, as well as hygiene practices, will be provided. Read more at CDC: About Cholera.
In the unlikely event that a newly arrived refugee develops symptoms after arrival, they should be immediately referred for medical evaluation with notification to the health care facility of the potential cholera exposure. Of note, there have been no cases of cholera among refugees resettled to the United States related to the ongoing outbreak.
Please contact the CDC Domestic Team with any questions: irhbdomestic@cdc.gov
Take a moment and review some recent publications on newcomer health:
Fox, S., Shah, P., Hollberg, M. R., Lee, D., & Posey, D. L. (2024). Syphilis Among U.S.-Bound Refugees, 2015 - 2018. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 26(6), 1062–1069.
Shen, D., Ayala, A., Reves, R., Haas, M., Khurana, R., & Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (2024). Tuberculosis infection prevalence and treatment completion among refugees in the United States. International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, 151, 107361. Advance online publication.
Singh, R., Villalobos, K., Cohen, J. H., Maleku, A., Pyakurel, S., Suzuki, T., Raut, S., Troyer, M., Jackson, C. L., & Montiel Ishino, F. A. (2024). Profiles of community support and challenges associated with insomnia symptoms: Findings from the pilot Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio Health Study. Sleep health, 10(6), 722–730.
Cabieses, B., Belo, K., Calderón, A. C., Rada, I., Rojas, K., Araoz, C., & Knipper, M. (2024). The impact of stigma and discrimination-based narratives in the health of migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean: a scoping review. Lancet regional health. Americas, 40, 100660.
Plesons, M., Hullfish, H., Joshi, P., Symes, S., & Saxena, A. (2024). Characteristics and Guardianship Status of Children Undergoing Forensic Medical and Psychological Evaluation for Asylum in Miami. Health and human rights, 26(2), 137–147.
|
