Dissertation Defense: Tamicah Nicole Gelting

About this event

Exploring the relationship between health and mental health providers’ knowledge and attitudes about the cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic challenges of African immigrant women and their approaches to providing culturally competent care

Presented by

Tamicah Nicole Gelting

PhD Candidate in Public Health: Community and Behavioral Health Promotion

Hybrid: Zilber 554 or Teams.

This dissertation explores how healthcare and mental health providers understand and respond to the experiences of African immigrant women navigating the United States healthcare system. Drawing on focus groups with healthcare providers and interviews with staff at a culturally specific community-based organization, the study examines how professional assumptions, cultural perspectives, and institutional structures shape healthcare experiences. Findings highlight tensions between conventional healthcare practices and culturally responsive approaches that recognize African immigrant women’s knowledge, agency, and lived experiences. The study also examines the contributions of community-based organizations in addressing gaps within mainstream healthcare systems. Together, these findings underscore the importance of institutional accountability, critical reflection, and community knowledge in advancing more equitable healthcare.