Centering the Experiences and Perceptions of Health and Well-Being in the Burmese Community: A Community-Academic Partnership.

Background: Many Burmese refugees to the United States experience multimorbidity primarily from displacement. Immigrant and refugee community leaders have identified communication with service providers and minimal community support as challenges.

Objectives: To center the experiences and perceptions of Burmese refugees regarding health and well-being.

Methods: In this qualitative descriptive community-based participatory research study, 18 Burmese participants across 9 families engaged with researchers to generate and analyze data through the participatory group level assessment method.

Results: We identified four main themes and corresponding community needs: Navigate cultural differences: need to balance Burmese cultural lifeways and U.S. society; complex journey of information access: need for qualified interpreters and cultural brokers; family health care and social support: need for collective relationship-based decision-making; and system and institutional barriers: need to eliminate discontinuity in holistic health care and towards basic health needs.

Conclusions: Providers must recognize the specific health needs and develop culturally protective practices.