Questions We Answer
Which children are up to date on vaccines, by age and neighborhood? How do maternal and infant health, diabetes, hypertension and mental health compare with other Minnesotans? Where do language, insurance, cost or fear keep families from care?
Data We Gather
Public health and immunization reports; hospital, clinic and insurer data through partnerships; Census data on language, nativity and insurance; and our own Somali American community health survey.
What We Advocate For
Health data reported by ethnicity and language, steady year-round funding for trusted community health workers, Somali-language care and interpretation, and safe access to care regardless of immigration fears.
Featured Case Study: Ending the Measles Cycle
Measles keeps returning to Minnesota's Somali community. MMR vaccination among Somali Minnesotan 2-year-olds fell from 92% in 2004 to about 24% in early 2026, far below the 95% needed to stop outbreaks. The 2017 outbreak brought 75 cases, 91% of them unvaccinated, and 21 children were hospitalized. Iftiin will break the cycle with continuous vaccination tracking, trusted messengers such as imams, Somali nurses and Somali radio, early-warning alerts for clinics, and sustained advocacy for year-round community health funding. Sources: Minnesota Department of Health; CDC; Sahan Journal; MPR News.
Contact us to learn about our data initiatives or partnership opportunities.
Telephone: 651-333-9285 (Fax: 651-204-9510)
E-mail: ashire@iftiincdf.org
Address: 450 Syndicate Street North, Suite 275, Saint Paul, MN 55104