Exploring Knowledge, Prevention Methods, and Prevention Barriers of COVID-19 Among Somali, Karen, and Latinx Community Members in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Abstract

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, understanding the virus and necessary measures to prevent infection have evolved. While effective preventative measures for COVID-19 have been identified, there are also identifiable barriers to implementation. Objective: Explore the access to information, knowledge, and prevention methods and barriers of COVID-19 among Somali, Karen, and Latinx immigrant community members in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA through analysis of in-depth interviews. Methods: Data were collected through 32 interviews via phone, video conference on a computer, or in-person with Somali, Karen, and Latinx adults to understand the experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in each group’s native language. All participants were over the age of 18, and identified as Somali, Karen, and Latinx refugee or immigrant. Interview protocol contained 9 main questions including probes. Data were analyzed through use of the qualitative analysis software, Atlas.ti using phenomenology. Results: A total of 32 adults were interviewed (Somali = 12, Karen = 10, and Latinx = 10). One-third were in person and the remainder were remote. The average age recorded was 37 years (range 20-66 years), 43.8% males and 56.3% females. Somali, Karen, and Latinx respondents consistently had accurate knowledge about COVID-19 and were attentive to finding trustworthy information. Information was available in Somali, Karen, and Latinx written language, although Karen elders who are not literate would benefit more from video messaging. Knowledge of preventive measures was consistent; however, barriers included access, working in front-line positions, and living in high density housing. Conclusion: Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on Somali, Karen, and Latinx community members in Minneapolis, MN is advantageous in removing identified barriers and disparities in health. The results of this study highlight the need for increased efforts to address barriers in the prevention of COVID-19, as well as future pandemics for immigrant and refugee populations.

Asylum Seekers’ Responses to Government COVID-19 Recommendations: A Cross-sectional Survey in a Swiss Canton

“…This difference is most likely caused by differences in educational attainment, health literacy level, French language proficiency, and consequently access to and comprehension of information. Our results are also consistent with other surveys assessing COVID-19 knowledge, notably among Afghan and Syrian refugees in Germany [30], Somali, Karen and Latinx community members in the US [31] or Syrian refugee women in Jordan [32] .…”

Barriers to and Facilitators of Digital Health Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations: Qualitative Systematic Review

“…There is limited literature on cultural or linguistic factors influencing trust in web-based information even in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some comparative studies have suggested that cultural theories may underpin differences in trust between different populations (eg, individual vs collective societies) [68,69], whereas others report that an underlying mistrust of the medical system may also influence attitudes toward web-based health information [70,71]. This is an area requiring further research, including whether DHTs that are linguistically or culturally appropriate are seen as more trustworthy and also whether alternative strategies such as having community leaders champion the use of DHTs may be effective at enhancing cultural relevance [72].…”

Antecedents and Consequences of Health Literacy among Refugees and Migrants during the First Two Years of COVID-19: A Scoping Review

“…Language (n = 26) and culture (n = 16) were the most frequently reported aspects of these determinants. Accessing health information during COVID-19 was repeatedly reported as a key difficulty for refugees and migrants when there were language barriers [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. Some sources identified a lack of readily available and translated COVID-19 public health information, creating barriers for refugees and migrants to understand and comply with public health guidelines [40,[46][47][48].…”

“…Accessing health information during COVID-19 was repeatedly reported as a key difficulty for refugees and migrants when there were language barriers [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. Some sources identified a lack of readily available and translated COVID-19 public health information, creating barriers for refugees and migrants to understand and comply with public health guidelines [40,[46][47][48]. Comparatively, health information available in a language that was understood by refugees and migrants resulted in a greater likelihood of accessing timely COVID-19 information [49][50][51].…”

“…Literacy (n = 11) and socioeconomic status (n = 8) were the most frequently reported aspects of personal determinants. Literacy, in terms of the ability to read and understand information, was reported to be a crucial factor in accessing and understanding health information [40,41,50,56,58,65]. The importance of digital literacy as a means of accessing technological health information was also acknowledged [57].…”