Scholarship of Practice (SOP) Lecture Series: Community Participation among Refugees and Asylum Seekers with Experience of Trauma
March 9, 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CST
Location
Zoom
Calendar
Download iCal FilePlease join the UIC Department of Occupational Therapy for the following Scholarship of Practice Lecture:
Title: Community Participation among Refugees and Asylum Seekers with Experience of Trauma
Presented by: Elnaz Alimi, OTD, OTR/L
Date: Monday, March 9, 2026
Time: 1:00-2:00 pm
Location: This presentation will take place via ZOOM ONLY
Presentation Abstract & Objectives
The global refugee crisis has resulted in millions of individuals displaced by war, persecution, and violence, many of whom arrive in host countries carrying histories of trauma and ongoing instability. For refugees and asylum seekers, rebuilding life is not only a matter of safety and survival, but also of reestablishing their participation in daily life, reclaiming their identity, and securing a sense of belonging in their new communities. Despite this, refugees and asylum seekers with disabilities and a history of trauma frequently encounter barriers, structural, psychosocial, and cultural, that constrain their opportunities to engage in meaningful activities. This study aimed to investigate community participation among refugees and asylum seekers with disabilities and trauma histories through mixed-method techniques informed by participatory action research to co-design supports.
At the end of the presentation, attendees will be able to:
- Identify at least three social determinants of health that lead to disproportionate rates of hospitalizations and mortality among the African American and Latinx community during COVID-19.
- Identify at least two considerations that are critical when providing care to racial or ethnically diverse populations to support their health and well-being during a pandemic.
- Describe 2 ways an OT can help to reduce health inequities and/or support health outcomes among African American and Latinx communities during a pandemic.
The Scholarship of Practice (SOP) lecture series features presentations designed to share evidence-based knowledge relevant to occupational therapy practice. Department of Occupational Therapy is a licensed CE provider by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Occupational therapy practitioners currently licensed in Illinois can earn CE credit for attending.
A full schedule of the Spring 2026 SOP lecture schedule is available on the UIC OT Department website: https://ahs.uic.edu/about-ahs/college-calendar/
For more information about this presentation, accommodation requests, or other inquiries, please email Gianna Imbarrato at gimba@uic.edu.
If you have suggestions for advancing our publication of these events, please contact Gianna Imbarrato at gimba@uic.edu.
Date posted
Jan 27, 2026
Date updated
Mar 2, 2026