Strategies to establish and maintain trust when working in immigrant communities

Abstract

The nursing profession has historically advocated a strong commitment to social justice. As immigration issues have become increasingly politicized, nurses are being called upon to integrate principles of social justice when caring for immigrant populations. Nurse researchers have a particular challenge in winning and maintaining trust in immigrant communities. Data from several studies suggest that erosion of trust in the health care system, due to fears of detention and deportation, is resulting in adverse health outcomes among immigrants. The purpose of this article is to discuss a variety of strategies to establish and maintain trust in immigrant communities. These strategies were developed to maintain an academic–community partnership focused around obesity prevention among Mexican immigrant families. Strategies included: (a) Conceptualize trust as a dynamic continuum; (b) recognize the scope and impact of the stressors; (c) separate fact versus fiction; (d) identify deportation‐related stressors and community responses; (e) manage trust and mistrust issues; (f) build bridges; and (g) establish a positive presence. Nurses are well poised to intervene to repair the damaged trust between immigrant communities and the health care system, using community‐based participatory methods.

“Beyond just the four walls of the clinic”: The roles of health systems caring for refugee, immigrant and migrant communities in the United States

“…Partnering with community advocates whose background and connections bring “home” to mind is a proven strategy for building trust throughout the pandemic, and trust supports resilience as partners develop stable relationships that can weather challenges through time ( 38 – 41 ). Our findings support that it takes time and deliberate effort to build trusting relationships with communities and to develop partnerships with community leaders and organizations, particularly before crises ( 33 , 34 ). Community engagement and trust were vital to the success of the health system interviewees and are critical in preparing for future public health emergencies.…”

“…Just as health systems cannot plan their interventions without cultivating an awareness of burgeoning disparities for immigrant communities, they cannot successfully implement outreach strategies without trust (33)(34)(35). For some immigrant communities, concerns involving legal status and the fear of deportation (in the context of the public charge rule) sapped trust in the health system, resulting in fewer immigrants accessing healthcare benefits (10,36,37).…”

Operationalizing Stakeholder Engagement Through the Stakeholder-Centric Engagement Charter (SCEC)

“…This intentional approach to engagement is essential for collaborating with those most vulnerable such as individuals with little to no research experience, limited English proficiency, and distrust in research or the healthcare system, and/or those experiencing healthcare disparities. 1,[4][5][6][7]…”