For many immigrant and refugee families, arriving in a new country means learning everything at once: a new language, a new city, a new way of living, and a healthcare system that may feel difficult to understand.
A child develops a fever in the middle of the night. A medical bill arrives weeks after an appointment. Someone in the family needs a checkup but does not know which clinic to call. There may be questions about insurance, interpreters, transportation, or how to find a primary care provider.
These moments can feel overwhelming: especially when a family is already adjusting to a new community. People who were strong and capable in their home countries may suddenly feel unsure about where to turn. Sometimes, fear becomes the reason a family waits. Unfortunately, waiting can allow a small health concern to become a more serious one.
That is why African Immigrant Family Services (AIFS) created Better Health Habits, a new weekly program on AIFS WEB TV designed to make healthcare information more understandable, practical, and welcoming.
Healthcare conversations that feel close to home
Better Health Habits is built on a simple belief: no one should have to face their health alone.
Each week, AIFS brings families into an honest conversation with a doctor, nurse, or health specialist who understands the experiences of immigrant and refugee communities. The program explores everyday health questions in clear language and creates space for viewers to ask the questions they may have been afraid to ask elsewhere.
Healthcare can sometimes feel distant or complicated. Medical terms, insurance forms, appointment systems, referrals, and bills can make it difficult for families to know what to do next. Better Health Habits helps bring these topics closer to home: so families can listen, learn, and use the information in their everyday lives.
The program also reflects AIFS’s commitment to culturally and linguistically responsive services. Its title is presented in both English and French: Better Health Habits: De meilleures habitudes de santé. As the program grows, AIFS hopes to continue making health education accessible to families who speak French, Swahili, Arabic, and other languages spoken throughout Nebraska’s immigrant communities.
What families can expect from the program
Better Health Habits focuses on the practical knowledge families need to make informed decisions about their health. Topics may include:
- How the U.S. healthcare system works
- The difference between emergency care, urgent care, and primary care
- How to find a primary care provider
- What to do when you do not have health insurance
- How to ask for a medical interpreter
- How to understand medical bills and payment options
- Why preventive screenings and routine checkups matter
- How nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress affect health
- How to support children’s health and wellness
- When a health concern requires immediate attention
- How community health centers and local resources can help
The first episode begins with one of the most important questions for newcomers: How does a family find its way through the American healthcare system without fear?
Hosted by Dr. Grace Mabiala, the episode features Dr. John Ukadike, an emergency and family medicine physician with public health experience and a personal connection to the immigrant journey. Together, they discuss where newly arrived families can go when they are sick, how primary care can help prevent serious illness, and why families should not avoid medical attention simply because they are worried about cost or unfamiliar systems.
Building health through everyday habits
Our health is not shaped only during a hospital visit. It is also built quietly over time: in the rhythm of ordinary days.
It is shaped by what we eat, how often we move, how well we rest, how we manage stress, and whether we feel comfortable asking questions when something does not seem right. Small decisions can make a meaningful difference when families have the information and support they need.
For example, a family may learn why regular blood pressure checks are important, how to prepare questions before a doctor’s appointment, or why it is helpful to establish care with a primary care provider before an emergency happens.
Families may also learn that asking for an interpreter is a sign of good self-advocacy: not something to feel embarrassed about. Clear communication helps patients and providers understand one another and can support safer, more effective care. Interpreters may be available in person, by phone, or through video, depending on the healthcare facility.
Better Health Habits does not ask families to become medical experts overnight. Instead, it offers one conversation at a time, giving viewers practical tools they can use at home and in their next healthcare interaction.
Moving from fear to confidence
A common concern for newly arrived families is the cost of care. Medical bills can be confusing and stressful, particularly when someone does not have insurance or is still learning how the system works.
Better Health Habits encourages families to ask questions rather than avoid care. When a bill arrives, families can ask the healthcare provider or billing office about payment plans, financial assistance, discounts, insurance applications, or other available options. Community organizations and health centers may also help people understand where to begin.
The program also emphasizes the value of connecting with a primary care provider. Emergency rooms are essential when someone has a serious or life-threatening condition. However, primary care is often the better place for routine checkups, preventive screenings, medication management, and ongoing support.
Finding a primary care provider can help families build a relationship with a healthcare professional who knows their history and can identify concerns before they become emergencies.
AIFS also offers a starting point through its Refugee and Immigrant Health program, which supports health education and healthcare navigation for African immigrants, refugees, and other community members. Families can also explore AIFS Mental Health Services for culturally responsive support related to stress, trauma, adjustment, and family wellbeing.
Better Health Habits is educational programming and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. If you or a family member is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For non-emergency concerns, contact a healthcare provider or a trusted community health resource.
A program for the whole family
Health education becomes more powerful when families learn together.
Parents can use the program to begin conversations with children about healthy food, sleep, exercise, emotions, and asking adults for help. Older family members can learn more about preventive care and chronic conditions. Young people can see that taking care of their health is a normal and important part of growing into adulthood.
This family-centered approach reflects AIFS’s broader mission. Through community support services, youth development, language and culture-based education, and health and wellness initiatives, AIFS creates spaces where families can build confidence and connection.
Better Health Habits extends that support into the home. Families can watch together, share an episode with relatives, and discuss what they learned with friends, neighbors, or community members.
One conversation, one family, one better day
The future we are working toward is one where families feel comfortable seeking care, asking questions, requesting interpretation, understanding their options, and making health decisions with confidence.
That future begins with connection.
It begins when someone says, “I do not understand this bill: who can help me?” It begins when a parent schedules a checkup before a health concern becomes urgent. It begins when a family member asks for an interpreter without shame. It begins when neighbors share reliable information with one another.
Better Health Habits is here to make those first steps easier.
Join AIFS every Saturday for a warm, honest, and practical conversation about living healthier: one better habit at a time.
Watch Better Health Habits
- When: Every Saturday at 11:00 AM
- Where: Live on all AIFS channels
- Episode 1: Premiered Saturday, August 8, 2026
- Watch on YouTube: Better Health Habits on AIFS WEB TV
- Follow AIFS on Facebook: facebook.com/aifsusa
- Find us on: AIFS WEB TV
Watch an episode, share it with someone you love, and send AIFS the questions you want to hear discussed in a future program.
Because better health begins with understanding: and no family should have to navigate healthcare alone.
