Health issues among Afghan women in California

Afghan refugee women are part of the largest refugee population in the world. In the United States, they deal with loss of family members, property, and status and cultural, familial, religious, role, and generational conflict in making the transition from a traditional patriarchal society to a more egalitarian postindustrial society. Findings from a San Francisco Bay Area Afghan community health assessment conducted from 1992 to 1993 are presented. The assessment included 38 telephone interviews, seven community meetings, and a survey of 196 Afghan families. Six years of ethnographic study with more than 200 Afghans and their health providers provide contextual data. We describe cultural characteristics that influence women's access to health care, women's approach toward preventive care, control of information regarding sexuality, and spouse abuse.