Health beliefs of Sudanese refugees

Many people of Sudan have been granted political asylum in the United States since 1990 (Frelick & Hamilton). As the numbers of incoming refugees increased every year, an assessment of Sudanese health beliefs was imperative for refugee health clinics in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to adequately address health issues for this population. The purpose of this study was to determine the health beliefs of the Sudanese refugees who had settled in the Dallas-Fort Worth area within the last two years. A sample of 34 participants was included in this study. These participants represented six tribes from the three regions of Southern Sudan. Each subject responded to a 25-question demographic survey, followed by an 18-item instrument called the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control survey. The results of the study appear to indicate that the health beliefs of these people depended on their access to health care when they were living in Sudan.