Health Literacy Language Programs for Community Newcomers

New Brunswick census data from 2018-2022 shows that 54.3% of residents reported speaking languages other than English at home. There is also a growing need for health literacy among the newcomer community. According to Commonwealth Fund data, healthcare systems in New Jersey consistently underperform on services for its BIPOC population, including access to healthcare, and quality and use of healthcare services. 

Performance scores for white respondents were greater than 90%, while for Black and Hispanic/Latino respondents, the scores were less than 50%. Language barriers create additional challenges, especially in scheduling appointments, describing symptoms, and using insurance. In Middlesex County, many Black, Hispanic, and immigrant respondents reported feeling discriminated against when receiving healthcare.

There is a high demand for language programming, but programs have waitlists and are expensive.

These healthcare inequities and challenges for access have inspired this project to offer a curriculum linking English language and health literacy programming for newcomers in New Jersey. The project aims to create warm, welcoming spaces at the New Brunswick Free Public Library and New Labor community center, where immigrant and resettled community members can practice English while developing health literacy. The project also seeks to strengthen existing community-engaged efforts, expand into a new global health-focused curriculum, and create a database to share new curricula while expanding the reach of health literacy efforts in New Brunswick and beyond.