Introduction
The healthcare system in the United States can be difficult to get used to for people from different life backgrounds. As refugees, some people can struggle with getting accessible help on time, as well as experience miscommunications and lack of understanding with the American service workers. In their interviews, the refugees identified major points of discomfort that could be a promising area for the future improvement of the healthcare system.
Discussion
The most important aspect is related to the accessibility of medical care and appointments with a specialist specifically. Many refugees stated that the accessibility of healthcare treatments in the US is noticeably lower and less rapid than in their homelands. Moreover, although the vast majority of people had high expectations about the level of medical services, they got disappointed by the low responsiveness of the healthcare system. On the other hand, most people clearly stated that despite the slow services the variety of medical equipment in the United States is very efficient and helpful compared to the treatment methods applied back in their countries of origin.
Additionally, a few refugees pointed out the issue of lack of proper communication and locals’ engagement and willingness to help with the basic adjustment which puts an evident limitation to the adjustment potential. The major problem within it is the internal ethnic discrimination based on the prejudices that is shown in some local people in the field of healthcare. According to the refugees’ experience, some medical workers even come off as arrogant and irresponsible, which multiplies the problems that refugees have to deal with in the process of adjustment.
The issues above are not only brought up by the refugees, but also by the people who work with them, such as case managers, ESL teachers, and job developers. In fact, a big number of people who work with the refugees have immigration experience as well. Generally, job developers highlight the tendency to struggle with adaptation until a certain social-economic settle down, such as a new beginning of a stable job, enhanced language skills, or a wider understanding community around. Hence, the solution that they generally promote is the development of specific inclusive job positions in order to provide the refugees with an opportunity to integrate better.
Teachers identified the biggest issue within the adjustment process to be the language and cultural barrier. A lot of refugees admitted that they were not proficient in English when they first moved to the United States, and naturally, it caused bigger problems related to local communication and a general connection with the healthcare systems. At the same time, people who work with refugees noticed, that there is a pattern present among the advancement of English skills, progressive integration into the local community, and general well-being of a person. Hence, in order to provide adequate support to the refugees language help programs have to be promoted more widely. It does not only include the accessibility of English courses but also normalizes the use of translators within the settings of medical appointments or general healthcare procedures. This way, the refugees will have more chances to better express themselves and to understand their new surroundings more.
Conclusion
In conclusion, although the integration into a foreign country is a long and difficult process, the parts of it can be modified to be more easily comprehended by the refugees. Help has to be directed not solely on the language proficiency, but on the extension of the accessibility of the healthcare options too. This way, the refugees will be able to feel more comfortable within their new environment, and their adjustment process will become more rapid and natural.