Background and History
In response to the health needs of the Chinatown community, Tufts Medical Center, in consultation with the South Cove/Chinatown Neighborhood Council, established the Asian Health Initiative (AHI) and its advisory committee in 1995. The AHI identifies public health issues of particular prevalence or concern to the local Asian community and seeks to work collaboratively with local community-based organizations to help address those health issues in a culturally and linguistically appropriate setting.
The advisory committee determined the most effective way to address the major health needs in the Chinatown community included the merging of two different sets of funds, creating a larger pool of money available to community health programs. This allowed more flexibility for community agencies in determining areas of focus to improve the health status of the Asian-American new immigrant community and to increase access to quality health care.
Since its inception, funded programs and projects have included: tuberculosis, hypertension, hepatitis B, chronic disease prevention, domestic and family violence, and the importance of primary care and understanding the American health care system. The AHI convenes with the advisory committee as well as grant recipients several times each year to receive program updates, discuss pressing health concerns with the Asian community, and to consider funding priorities and distribution. It also provides technical assistance to individual organizations as requested.
Because of the diversity of the programs and organizations supported, the AHI has been able to reach a broad segment of the Asian community, from toddlers to senior citizens.
The Need
The Asian/Pacific Islander community is among the fasting growing group locally and nationally. It now comprises 3.6% of the total population nationally, and 3.8% of the total population in Massachusetts. Within the state there is a high concentration in the Greater Boston area, especially in Boston, Quincy, Malden, Brookline, Cambridge and Newton. In addition, Lowell, Worcester, Fall River, and Springfield are also communities with a growing Asian population.
Asian immigrants tend to underutilize health care services, and often lack the information necessary to practice preventive health maintenance. This can be attributed in part to cultural differences and linguistic barriers, as well as financial concerns, such as lack of health insurance. In addition, 2000 Census data and a recent report from the Boston Public Health Commission (The Health of Chinatown, 2002) reinforce the need to focus on health outreach and education efforts within the Chinatown Asian community.
For example:
- > 50% of Chinatown residents are non- or limited-English proficient
- 30% of Chinatown residents live below the federal poverty level, while the median income is $28,000, compared to the Boston average of $40,000
- The Tuberculosis rate is three times higher than the Boston average and prenatal care is the second worst of all Boston neighborhoods, and
- Hepatitis B and smoking are prominent health concerns
AHI Funded Programs
Asian American Civic Association
Through bilingual outreach, individual counseling, and conducting public workshops AACA aims to assist Asian immigrants in Greater Boston in building knowledge and awareness on a variety of health issues. AACA is also able to reach many readers regarding health care issues through their bilingual community newspaper, the Sampan.
Asian Spectrum
Through linguistically accessible media, Asian Spectrum, seeks to raise awareness of mental health issues. They have developed a television series called "Your Mental Health: From Childhood to Golden Age". The series has been broadcast in Chinese in Boston and Malden and is available to groups across the Greater Boston region via DVD. Topics have and will span from childhood to elderly stages depicting diagnosis, symptoms, rehabilitation, and community resources.
Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence
Focuses on violence prevention, provides supportive services, and established support groups for youth survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Education and outreach staff will conduct workshops to schools throughout the year in hopes of providing comprehensive prevention and enrichment programs.
Boston Asian Youth Essential Service
Aims to aid linguistic-minority local Asian teens. The target population are youth who exhibit anti-social behavior, are gang-involved, are disconnected from parents, school and community, and/or have been suspended or expelled from school. Program staff, a youth counselor/case manager, and a workshop assistant work with teens to learn life skills, personal developement training, and provide individual counseling to empower youth with the skills and values to make positive decisions in non-violent ways.
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
Provides a Family Services program that benefits parents and families in a wide range of programs that include child care, after school, adult educations, youth, recreation, summer, arts, and enrichment programs.
Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center
Targets Chinese-speaking elders with chronic disease in the Greater Boston area. A new program, "Healthy Living with Chronic Disease" intends to develop an effective infrastructure to deliver an evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-Management Program to empower elderly people to take charge of their disease by focusing on the life style and behavioral changes and reducing the risk of disease, disability, and injury.
Wang YMCA of Chinatown
Educates and improves the lifestyles of community members, in particular seniors and restaurant workers, currently active or who practice unhealthy habits which put them at an increased risk of health problems including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer.
For more information contact:
Sherry Dong, Director
Community Health Improvement Programs
Tufts Medical Center
800 Washington Street, Box 116
Boston, MA 02111
617-636-1628
sdong@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
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