Some patients are nervous about giving blood for any type of test. There is an assumption that blood is taken from them for other purposes, other than serving them. Blood transfusion is alien to most Tigreans. It could create anxiety and fear. Explaining the condition that warranted blood transfusion to the patients should diminish the patients anxiety if not totally eliminate it.
Women are reluctant to discuss gynecologic issues with male doctors, nurses on their first visit.
If possible a female health provider will be the best choice. Women feel very uncomfortable discussing female private parts with a male provider. It is also very important to have a female interpreter if the situation permits for reasons already discussed. The Tigrean population in Seattle could exceed the 2,000 mark and is growing rapidly mainly due to migration from other states and newborn babies. Most come from small towns in Tigray and many had formal education, but a small number of them came from the country side where they may have had no formal education at all.