Publications & Presentations: Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health

The Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health (MN COE) works with its collaborating sites to perform surveillance activities to assess the incidence or  prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases among newcomer populations. Sites across the country and the Colorado Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health (CO COE) contribute data for these projects. Learn more at Colorado Center of Excellence in Refugee Health. 

Similarly, the MN COE in collaboration with clinic partners undertake quality improvement projects to understand the barriers to appropriate screening and follow-ups and offer practical recommendations. These findings and recommendations are shared with clinicians caring for newcomers through a variety of dissemination strategies including publications, annual reports, integration into CareRef, maintenance of certification activities, manuscripts, and online learning.

Publications

As one of the core pillars of the MN COE, we conduct quality improvement projects to improve the quality of care for newcomers and best practice guidance for newcomer health professionals. Quality improvement activities include reviewing data from our partner sites, publishing findings, and presenting at conferences.

Afghan arrivals

Trauma-informed care and screening for stress and emotional disorders in Afghan refugee children

• Oberg, C.N., Norman, L.M. (2024). Trauma-informed care and screening for stress and emotional disorders in Afghan refugee children. Minnesota Medicine, 107(4), 32-34. https://pubs.royle.com/publication/?i=825104

Welcoming new neighbors: Minnesota's rapid response model to address the urgent health needs of Afghan newcomers, 2021–2022

• Frumholtz, M., Carlson, W.C., Shannon, P.J., Iaquinta, S., Eckerstorfer, M., Hendel-Paterson, B., Quadri, N., Shetty, R., Mohammadzadah, H., Stauffer, W., Adesida, O., Howard, C., Urban, K., Kirsch, J., Sayad, M, & Mamo, B. (2024). Welcoming new neighbors: Minnesota's rapid response model to address the urgent health needs of Afghan newcomers, 2021–2022. Front. Public Health 12:1413258. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1413258

Cancer screening

Cervical, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer Screening Outcomes Among Refugees in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Payton, C., Kvaratskhelia, N., Chalfin, M., Deffler, J., & Altshuler, M. (2025). Cervical, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer Screening Outcomes Among Refugees in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 27(3), 480–488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-025-01685-y

Cancer Screening in Refugees and Immigrants: A Global Perspective

• Walker, P. F., Settgast, A., & DeSilva, M. B. (2022). Cancer Screening in Refugees and Immigrants: A Global Perspective. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 106(6), 1593–1600. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-0692

Clinical decision support tools

Development and dissemination of clinical decision support across institutions: standardization and sharing of refugee health screening modules

• Orenstein, E. W., Yun, K., Warden, C., Westerhaus, M. J., Mirth, M. G., Karavite, D., Mamo, B., Sundar, K., & Michel, J. J. (2019). Development and dissemination of clinical decision support across institutions: standardization and sharing of refugee health screening modules. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA, 26(12), 1515–1524. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocz124

COVID-19

Time to COVID-19 Vaccination by Language and Country of Origin

• Nolan, M. B., Chrenka, E., DeSilva, M. B. (2024). Time to COVID-19 Vaccination by Language and Country of Origin. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(10):e2437388. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.37388

COVID-19 vaccine uptake among non-US-born populations in the United States, 2020-2022

• Nolan, M. B., Chrenka, E., Walker, P., Steiner, A., Rodrigues, K. K., Michel, J. J., Yun, K., Payton, C., Young, J., Mamo, B., Frumholtz, M., & DeSilva, M. (2024). COVID-19 vaccine uptake among non-US-born populations in the United States, 2020-2022. Vaccine, S0264-410X(24)00443-2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.029

Increasing COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage for Newcomer Communities: The Importance of Disaggregation by Language

• Steiner, A., Rodrigues, K. K., Mudenge, N., Young, J., Rasulo, R., Payton, C., DeSilva, M., Michel, J., Fabio, M., & Yun, K. (2023). Increasing COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage for Newcomer Communities: The Importance of Disaggregation by Language. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 109(1), 90–93. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.22-0724

Association between Preferred Language and Risk of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in Children in the United States

• Otto, W. R., Grundmeier, R. W., Montoya-Williams, D., Njoroge, W. F. M., Wallis, K. E., Gerber, J. S., & Yun, K. (2021). Association between Preferred Language and Risk of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in Children in the United States. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 105(5), 1261–1264. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-0779

Hepatitis

Hepatitis C Screening and Antibody Prevalence Among Newly Arrived Refugees to the United States, 2010–2017

• Urban, K., Payton, C., Mamo, B., Volkman, H., Giorgio, K., Kennedy, L., Bomber, Y. C., Rodrigues, K. K., Young, J., Tumaylle, C., Matheson, J., Tasslimi, A., Montour, J., & Jentes, E. (2023). Hepatitis C Screening and Antibody Prevalence Among Newly Arrived Refugees to the United States, 2010-2017. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 25(6), 1323–1330. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-023-01471-8

Improving Care for Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B via Establishment of a Disease Registry

• DeSilva, M. B., Settgast, A., Chrenka, E., Kodet, A. J., & Walker, P. F. (2022). Improving Care for Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B via Establishment of a Disease Registry. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 107(1), 198–203. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-1013

Hepatitis B Evaluation and Linkage to Care for Newly Arrived Refugees: A Multisite Quality Improvement Initiative

• Payton, C., DeSilva, M. B., Young, J., Yun, K., Aragon, D., Kennedy, L., Tumaylle, C., White, D., Walker, P., Jentes, E. S., & Mamo, B. (2021). Hepatitis B Evaluation and Linkage to Care for Newly Arrived Refugees: A Multisite Quality Improvement Initiative. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 23(3), 558–565. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01058-7

Evaluation of a Program to Improve Linkage to and Retention in Care Among Refugees with Hepatitis B Virus Infection — Three U.S. Cities, 2006–2018 

• Young, J., Payton, C., Walker, P., White, D., Brandeland, M., Kumar, G. S., Jentes, E. S., Settgast, A., & DeSilva, M. (2020). Evaluation of a Program to Improve Linkage to and Retention in Care Among Refugees with Hepatitis B Virus Infection - Three U.S. Cities, 2006-2018. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 69(21), 647–650. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6921a2

A Best Practice Alert for Identifying Hepatitis B–Infected Patients

• DeSilva, M. B., Kodet, A., & Walker, P. F. (2020). A Best Practice Alert for Identifying Hepatitis B-Infected Patients. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 103(2), 884–886. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-0041

Tuberculosis

Minnesota refugees diagnosed with tuberculosis disease, January 1993–August 2019

• Urban, K., Mamo, B., Thai, D., Earnest, A., & Jentes, E. (2022). Minnesota refugees diagnosed with tuberculosis disease, January 1993-August 2019. BMC infectious diseases, 22(1), 356. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07327-0

Conference presentations