Guidelines for providing medical care to Southeast Asian refugees

Almost 500,000 Southeast Asian refugees have arrived in the United States since 1975. While these refugees have not presented substantial public health problems, they have important personal health problems frequently requiring medical attention. Medical care providers in this country need to be aware of disease patterns and prevalence among these refugees. As well, they need to be aware of the cultural and religious backgrounds and previous medical practices of this refugee population, particularly as these practice influence the refugees' ability to obtain and maintain medical services provided in this country. Historical, cultural, religious, ethical, and medical information is provided to help US health care facilities develop culturally appropriate medical care services for Southeast Asian refugees.