Unseen and Unheard: Exploring Healthcare in the U.S. from the Lens of Bangladeshi Immigrants

Tashfia Jilu
Tashfia Jilu

Tashfia Jilu is a rising senior (’22) from Manchester, CT. She is double majoring in Biology and Science in Society, with a minor in Chemistry. Tashfia’s passions for Global and Public Health arise from her background as an FGLI student and a child of immigrants. She hopes to connect her interest in biological studies with public health to bridge the gap between medicine and voiceless communities. After graduating from Wesleyan, Tashfia plans on attending graduate school to study Public Health. In her free time, she enjoys watching Netflix and spending time with her friends and family.

Abstract: Bangladeshi immigrants constitute one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the United States. Approximately 54% of this group are classified as having Limited-English Proficiency (LEP), which means they speak English less than ‘very well.’ Facilitating good communication between this group and healthcare providers is a key feature of healthcare and health equity. Federally funded healthcare facilities are legally mandated to provide interpreters for patients with LEP, yet most do not have adequate translation services. The experience of Bangladeshi immigrants with medical translation services has not been studied, so this project asks: what experiences do Bangladeshi immigrants have as they navigate the healthcare system in New York City? To answer this question, I will conduct and analyze 10 in-depth interviews, as well as a community-wide survey that explores Bangladeshi-immigrants’ experiences in community healthcare settings in New York City, specifically their relationships to healthcare providers and medical translation services. To understand and contextualize these experiences, I will analyze them through the lens of critical race theory and the Bangladeshi diaspora, and the social determinants of health. This research will enhance the understanding of the current experiences of the Bangladeshi community, and can hopefully be a resource to improve translation services to benefit this group.

Unseen-and-Unheard-Summer-2021

Live Poster Session:
Thursday, July 29th 1:15-2:30pm EDT