"Understand us and acknowledge our reasons": Perspectives from Burmese refugee families on interactions with their pediatricians

Abstract

Introduction: Indianapolis is home to one of the largest Burmese communities in the United States; however, little is known of Burmese families' experiences with medical providers. The complex health history of Burmese refugees, coupled with the necessity of quality childhood care for later development, demonstrates a need for medical residents to better understand their diverse patient populations. This study aimed to understand Burmese families' perspectives on their interactions with their pediatric providers.

Material and methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Burmese refugee families, which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated. A patient-centered care framework guided interview questions and directed content analysis.

Results: Themes that emerged from individual interviews often related with cross-cultural communication, including patient engagement in care, challenges utilizing an interpreter, and concerns about discussing sensitive issues with healthcare workers. Overall, parents had positive perceptions of their child's pediatrician, but some distrusted interpreters and other members of the healthcare staff. Though parents reported a desire to be more involved in their child's care, they felt uncomfortable engaging with sensitive topics. A large barrier to care was lack of time during appointments.

Discussion: Through understanding the perspectives of Burmese refugee families, pediatricians and training programs for medical professionals may consider ways to enhance the patient-provider relationship and health outcomes for this population.