Individuals affected by invisible disabilities, such as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), have additional challenges beyond the physical manifestation of their disease, which is otherwise unknown externally. SCD patients continually consider disease manifestation in everyday life and experience varying degrees of disease perception in and out of the hospital environment. Additional considerations of a patient’s other intersecting identities, such as race and cultural identity, call attention to the sociological landscape of the United States of America. The dynamics observed within this landscape can be seen through the symbolic interaction of these identities with the invisible disability identity, in which a compounding effect from intersectional interactions substantiates the impact of stigma on an affected individual’s quality of life. Healthcare providers are the connecting piece between patients and the American healthcare system. A provider’s ability to offer care reflects the role of impact on disease management and resulting quality of life through ongoing provider-patient relations. Through a secondary literature review of peer-reviewed journals, the symbolic interactions of invisible disability, disease perception, and the intersecting identities of race and cultural identity, factoring in their resulting impacts, are analyzed within the scope of SCD. Additionally, an experiential learning approach will be utilized to provide the expert opinion of providers regarding their perspective of SCD, as assessed within the emerging themes of the literature review.

This study examines the healthcare disparities faced by the Desi population (including individuals of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Nepali, and other South Asian descent) aged 12-50 in the Metro Detroit area. Despite the ever-growing population of South Asian communities in the United States, research on their interactions with Michigan healthcare remains very limited. The lack of consistent reports, population-specific studies, and overall popularity of the discussion proves this. Using a survey-based methodology, this study will collect accounts from participants regarding their healthcare experiences, perceived inequities, and barriers to accessing high-quality medical services. The data will later undergo a thematic review to identify recurring patterns, including issues related to affordability, insurance coverage, cultural or linguistic barriers, and provider biases. If the survey data proves insufficient, a systematic review of existing literature will be conducted to provide additional insights. The anticipated results are expected to reveal significant healthcare gaps, including underrepresentation in medical research, lack of culturally competent care, and disparities in preventive health measures. By researching these challenges, this study aims to contribute to the existing data gap on healthcare equity and inform policy improvements that enhance access and quality of care for the Desi community. Future research could expand on these findings by integrating deeper qualitative interviews, community-based interventions, or policy reevaluation to develop targeted solutions for reducing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.

In an increasingly linguistically diverse healthcare population, effective communication between providers and patients is crucial to achieving quality care. According to Utah’s language data report, approximately 15% of Utah residents older than age 5 speak a language other than English at home. One-third of that population reports speaking English less than “very well” and prefer communicating through their primary language, making interpretation services increasingly important (Jinadasa et al., 2022). The purpose of my study is to identify which interpretation tool (e.g., audio/video, in-person) is the most effective and provides the safest communication interaction between those who need translation services and their healthcare team. A 15-question survey will be handed out to a variety of different healthcare workers that includes Likert scales, multiple-choice, and free-response questions. These questions will be regarding the different types of interpretation tools, their challenges, and perception of their experiences using the tool. Once survey data is collected, I will conduct a mixed methods analysis, which includes percentage data and thematic analysis. The results of this will allow for a discussion about which tool is most effective for safe communication. In addition, it will provide a foundation for further investigation into the patient’s preference for translation services, including whether or not translation tools contribute to patient anxiety, satisfaction, and a clear understanding of healthcare events.

Deep political polarization and anti-immigrant rhetoric frequently occurred during the 2024 U.S. presidential election, sparking fears in many members of the Latine communities of hate crimes and deportation. Concurrently, prior research indicates that cumulative individual-level trauma exposure is positively associated with mental health ailments, especially when co-occurring with sociopolitical threats. More specifically, Latine individuals may experience increased emotional exhaustion and impairment compared to other racial/ethnic groups due to stress related to immigration-related policy fears. The present project examines 1) whether cumulative individual-level trauma exposure is associated with heightened fear about public safety, emotional exhaustion, and functional impairment in the context of the 2024 election, and 2) whether these effects are moderated by Latine identity. Data were collected from an ongoing, longitudinal, probability-based, nationally representative sample of 3,392 U.S residents from the NORC AmeriSpeak Panel. Surveys were administered during the 2024 U.S. election (10/11/24 - 12/02/24). Using multivariate regression, cumulative trauma exposure and covariates (e.g., age, gender, education) will be examined as predictors of public safety fears, emotional exhaustion, and functional impairment. To test for amplification effects in those identifying as Latine, an interaction term of trauma exposure and Latine identity will be added to the model. Public health implications include how trauma and sociopolitical stressors intersect to worsen mental health.