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When Katherine Kitchens was finishing her grasp’s diploma in social work at UT Arlington, she participated in a sophisticated area placement at a neighborhood clinic that supplied major well being care providers to households in want. Her expertise working with marginalized populations is without doubt one of the causes Kitchens determined to remain at UTA and pursue her Ph.D. in social work, which she’s going to obtain throughout the College’s graduation ceremonies for the College of Social Work at 9 a.m. on Dec. 13 at Globe Life Subject.
“During my field work at the Agape Clinic in Dallas, I spent time helping resettled refugees, primarily community members from Burma who were forcibly displaced,” stated Dr. Kitchens. “This experience really inspired me to pursue my doctoral degree to further focus on research strategies that combine public health, cognitive health and social work practice in primary care settings.”
As a part of her unbiased examine for her doctoral program, Kitchens labored carefully together with her school mentor, Yeonwoo Kim, assistant professor of kinesiology, who guided her in inspecting cognitive decline amongst refugees. Below Dr. Kim’s mentorship, the pair revealed their findings, displaying that refugees ages 50 and older have greater odds of self-reported cognitive impairment in comparison with different immigrant populations who entered the USA voluntarily.
“Earlier research has shown that trauma is a factor in individuals developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and we know that people who immigrate to the United States as refugees often have endured a great deal of trauma because of their experiences with war, violence, limited resources and forced displacement,” stated Kim.
“Our research shows that refugees are at much higher risk of developing MCI compared to other immigrant populations. This is an important data point, as our nation’s population of people over 65 grows and we work to keep them independent and healthy for as long as possible.”
Fortuitously, there are interventions that may assist refugees offset a few of these cognitive declines. Kim stated refugees who had greater English-language proficiency and/or greater academic attainment had been much less prone to endure impairment.
“This could be in part because people with English skills and education have more access to higher-paying jobs and more resources as they age. People without these skills also lack the language to navigate the complex health care system in the United States and ask for help when they need it,” Kim stated. “This study illuminates some of the gaps in care that refugees face as they age in the United States.”
After commencement, Kitchens will begin a brand new school place on the College of Texas Southwestern Medical College in Dallas on the Peter O’Donnell Jr. College of Public Well being.
“I’m really excited about the next phase of my career,” stated Kitchens. “In my new role, I’ll be mostly focused on research studying the unique intersections of how culture and lived experiences such as forced displacement can impact cognitive health. These collaborations are exciting because they bridge public health, neuroscience and health care, both private and public.”
Extra info:
Katherine Kitchens et al, The Position of Schooling and English Proficiency in Cognitive Well being Amongst Older Refugee Populations in the USA, Journal of Gerontological Social Work (2024). DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2024.2421303
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