Newcomers and the healthcare Systems of The Americas (e.g., Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Canada and the U.S): Tips For newcomers from LMICs

Being a newcomer is an underlying factor that may be a health-seeking barrier or enabler. Newcomers from many African countries and other Low-Medium-Industrialized Countries (LMICs) form an increasingly expanding health-seeking demography that experiences a new form of life when they relocate to countries like the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Argentina or Canada.? The new experience is part of their universe and meaning-making around decisions to lead better lives.?

However, the realities that hit many as they navigate a new lifestyle and explore the utilitarian potential of living in these countries may add to competing interests which dis-incentivize many from engaging in healthcare seeking practices like a deliberate and regular accessing of information about Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) (Shepardson et al, 1999), Do-Not-Intubate (DNI), dental, ear, neck, blood and bodily check-ups. These assessments are learned and adopted preferences that improve treatment effectiveness and healthcare quality, help in plotting timelines in anticipation of acute and critical care events thus avert or reduce risk for death and adverse events (Walkey et al, 2017).?

Newcomers need to navigate the correlates of contexts contributing to healthy living and an ability to address causes of health burdens and an understanding of prevailing issues or themes such as Fentanyl abuse, pro-life, pro-choice not only around abortion but whole life issues ranging from social-economic transformative aspirations targeting all ethnicities whether black, brown or white; address the addiction epidemic and how to be part of systems and structures to sustain anti-poverty strategies across different ethnicities in U.S, Canada, Mexico or Brazil. There is need for mental health and addiction rehab centers, focus on sexual reproductive health, sexual responsibility of men and women and understand issues around abortion (fifteen-week Federal limit, up to the day of birth without parental consent and adoption centers).

Newcomers have agency. Once empowered with social transformative knowledge, skills and practical attitude, they can turn intuition into agility to survive, control over objectives that make them assimilate better, thrive and sustain an independently liberating life. In order for them to experience the fullest benefits in host countries, they have to doggedly seek consciousness of the establishments layered with catalytic systems and structures and affirmatively tap into them in order to lead fulfilled lives in form of self-determination, self-efficacy, self-worth, independence, autonomy and productivity.

Many newcomers, experience a range of things to learn and re-learn: how to find one’s address, getting from one point to another,? choosing to dress for winter or summer, owning a house, paying rent, paying utilities, saving money for future prospects, paying for one’s phone bill, paying for transportation means, paying for health insurance, attending regular medical check-ups, prospects for education in order for one to improve their qualifications and ?planning for and maintaining a social-cultural life in a new country. On the list of priorities, one rarely puts issues to do with prospects for falling sick to the extent that one is admitted at the Emergency or Trauma Ward; limitations and barriers to care arising from low health insurance premium; and end-of-life plans.? These are known as preferences and this paper is an attempt to raise awareness around the multitude of preferences including the subject of end-of-life, as part of one’s life span planning.

Healthcare facilities should position themselves as enduring points of contact that are part of a life promoting continuum with opportunities for healthcare staff to provide a wide variety of services. The interventions contribute to newcomer holistic functioning and reduce the risk of possible comorbidities (Tsai et al, 2021).

References:

Shepardson, L. B., Gordon, H. S., Ibrahim, S. A., Harper, D. L., & Rosenthal, G. E. 1999. Racial variation in the use of do-not-resuscitate orders.?Journal of general internal medicine,?14(1), 15–20. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.1999.00275.x

Tsai C. L., Lin Y. W. Hsu H. C. Lou M. L., Lane H. Y., Tu C. H. & Ma W. F. 2021. Effects of the Health-Awareness-Strengthening Lifestyle Program in a Randomized Trial of Young Adults with an At-Risk Mental State.?International journal of environmental research and public health,?18(4), 1959. ?Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041959

Walkey A. J., Barnato A. E., Wiener R. S. & Nallamothu, B. K. 2017. Accounting for Patient Preferences Regarding Life-Sustaining Treatment in Evaluations of Medical Effectiveness and Quality.?American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine,?196(8), 958–963. Retrieved from? https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.201701-0165CP