Feature: March/April 2010
Nepali-Speaking Bhutanese (Lhotsampa) Cultural Profile
As of February 2010, it is estimated 850-900 Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees are living in Washington State, the majority residing in King County in the cities of Kent and Seatac. Approximately 25,000 have resettled in the U.S. overall, and thousands more are expected to arrive from the refugee camps in Nepal where they have lived for almost two decades following ethnic oppression and expulsion from Bhutan. Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees may find many aspects of American culture in stark contrast to some core practices and values of their traditional culture. One community leader worries that isolation, substance abuse, domestic violence, depression and other mental health issues may become common major concerns as has happened for other refugee communities before them, especially when people have not been able to find jobs and resettlement benefits end a short time after arrival. To learn about Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees, their culture, experiences with traditional and western medicine, and recommendations for health care providers serving this community, read more… Recent Features:Culturally Competent Care in Mental HealthThis 25 minute narrated video slide show presentation teaches about approaches to providing culturally competent care to immigrant and refugee patients. The presentation is based on a talk by psychiatrist Dr. Lorin Boynton, given at a Psychiatry Chief Resident Conference at Harborview Medical Center. View presentation... Ethiopian Traditional and Herbal Medications and their Interactions with Conventional Drugs
Many herbal substances that are used in Ethiopian traditional medicine are also used as ingredients and spices in Ethiopian food. Consumption of these herbs and spices as part of a normal diet is not likely to cause adverse herb-drug interactions because they are consumed in relatively small quantities. However, when these herbs and spices are utilized for medicinal purposes there may be an increased likelihood of adverse interactions with conventional medicines. There are several classes of medications that are at a higher risk for adverse herb-drug interactions, including anti-arrhythmic, anti-seizure, anti-diabetic, and anti-coagulant medication. Health care providers are particularly attuned to these interactions because these drugs are typically monitored with serum levels and serum markers (e.g., warfarin, digoxin). The risk is increased because of the chemical composition of these medicines and because they treat some of the most common illnesses in the Ethiopian immigrant population (Jackson, 2008). Read entire article... Public Health Information on H1N1 - Swine FluSwine Flu Resources for these resources. 
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