Our Projects

Clinical Research Projects.  The complexities of the global refugee crisis require intensive study and research in order to design and implement sustainable solutions.  At RAHI we seek to address the shortage of rigorous research in refugee health, which has led to a lack of evidence-based clinical practice and inferior health outcomes in refugees. Our mission is to foster high-quality refugee health research in order to improve the quality of refugee healthcare.

RAHI members design, implement, facilitate and publish numerous multidisciplinary, multi-institutional refugee health research projects both in the United States and internationally.  This list is constantly changing, with projects being added as new collaborations evolve.  Please contact us for more details on a specific project, or send us your detailed proposal for a new project.  Note that research assistant opportunities are rare, and are sent to our email list as they become available.  Select research projects are listed below.

Non-communicable disease and healthcare seeking behavior among urban Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
A cross-sectional mixed methods study that sought to assess the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and healthcare-seeking behaviors among Syrian refugees living in Bourj al-Barajneh camp in Lebanon.  Syrian refugee participants completed quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews regarding disease burden, healthcare seeking behaviors, and attitudes towards care.  This study was one of the first surveys of urban camp-dwelling refugees in Lebanon.
Team: Ola Alani, Fatima M. Karaki, Maya Tannoury, Farrah L. Ezzeddine, Husam Hariri, Fatima Annan, Ayda Yazbeck, Robert E. Snyder, Zouhair Attieh

California’s Refugee Reproductive Health Network (ReproNet): Engaging Refugee Women in Research Partnerships.
ReproNet is supported by a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) grant and led by RAHI member Dr. Heike Thiel de Bocanegra. Building upon established local partnerships between community members, organizations, and academics, ReproNet will develop a statewide Refugee Reproductive Health Network (RRHN) in California engaged in regular communication, coordination, and collaboration with the following aims: 1.) Strengthen regional refugee-academic-community partnerships through the formation of a RRHN with local branches in San Diego, Sacramento, and the Central Valley; 2.) Engage in dialogue with six refugee communities to investigate their preferences for sexual and reproductive health and well-woman care; and 3.) Develop a Research and Policy Agenda (RESPA) for future collaborative patient-centered outcomes research with refugee women.

ReproNet is also conducting a literature review on refugee women’s reproductive health.  This publication will provide recommendations for future practice, policy and research in refugee women’s health.

Team: Heike Thiel de Bocanegra, Fatima Karaki, Patrick Marius Koga, Sheila Mody, Morgen Chalmiers, Zahra Goliaei, Maneesha Muriki, Andy Chen, Serine Banna, Nossin Khan

The Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers Research, Evaluation and Ethics Committee.
RAHI director Dr. Fatima Karaki is a co-founder and co-chair of this committee.  RAHI members work on this committee to create a refugee health evidence base and to support data driven program creation and evaluation in order to improve refugee health outcomes for refugee children, families, individuals and communities.  Click here to view the committee charter.

Team: Fatima M. Karaki (Research Committee Co-Chair), Vijay Kotecha