Legal Relief for Children in Immigrant Families: A Mixed-Methods Study.

OBJECTIVE: Immigration status is a known social driver of health. Little research exists on addressing concerns about immigration status in primary care. The objective of this study is to understand the experiences of immigrant families that received a clinical-community intervention to address immigration-related concerns. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study: an embedded experimental design study. We implemented an immigration-focused legal needs screening tool and referral intervention at one academic primary care clinic in January 2018. Caregivers who screened positive for immigration-related concerns and were referred to a local immigration law firm were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Interviews were recorded, de-identified, transcribed, and systematically coded using an inductive content analysis approach. A modified constant comparative method was used to iteratively review codes, identify emerging themes, and resolve differences through consensus. RESULTS: Nineteen caregivers reported immigration-related legal concerns, seven of whom were interviewed. Most (84.2%) were mothers, identified as Hispanic (94.7%), were from Mexico (52.6%), and reported persecution and fear of returning to their country of origin (57.9%). In interviews, we identified three major themes: (1) families were motivated to immigrate due to mental health trauma and persecution; (2) families sought legal services for several immigration-related concerns; and (3) families experienced challenges in navigating the legal system, with which clinics may assist. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the need for immigration-related services in primary care settings and the feasibility and potential benefits of implementing a legal screening and referral intervention.

Endoscopic Ultrasound for Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor.

Gastrointestinal (GI) stromal tumors arise from the interstitial cells of Cajal and are rare in the pediatric population. The most common clinical manifestation is anemia secondary to GI bleeding. Endoscopy is commonly used for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions of an obstructing mass or gastrointestinal bleed, while experience with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and EUS fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for pediatric patients with suspected gastric tumors is limited. We report 2 cases, a 14-year-old male and an 11-year-old female, who presented with symptomatic anemia. Both patients were diagnosed with GI stromal tumors of the stomach using EUS and EUS-FNA. This report shows that EUS and EUS-FNA are safe and effective diagnostic tools for pediatric patients.