Refugees in Denver and Their Perceptions of Their Health and Health Care

BACKGROUND: Colorado receives approximately 2,500 refugees each year from countries all over the world. We assessed the self-perceived health of and barriers to care for refugees in the Denver metro area in order to understand better the needs of this population. METHODS: A 61-item questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of 120 local refugees between June and December of 2009. RESULTS: Only 10% of respondents reported their health as excellent, while 31% rated it as either poor or fair. The most prominent barriers to care included unemployment (91%), language (46%), lack of health insurance (41%), lack of transportation (43%), and distrust of doctors (22%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that refugees in Denver face significant barriers that affect their access to health care. Recommendations include improved job and language skill programs, a health navigator program, and health care provider training on culturally effective care of this population.