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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Douglas Nam Le, BA¹, Crystal Trinh¹, Vietnamese Community Health Initiative¹, Noilyn Abesamis, MPH², Chau Trinh-Shevrin, DrPH³, Henrietta Ho-Asjoe, MPS⁴, Nadia Islam, MA², and Mariano Rey, MD⁵. (1) Center for the Study of Asian American Health, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, MSB-153, New York, NY 10016, 212-263-3072, douglas.le@med.nyu.edu, (2) NYU Center for Study of Asian American Health, 550 First Avenue, MSB-153, New York, NY 10016, (3) Center for the Study of Asian American Health, NYU School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, MSB-153, New York, NY 10016, (4) NYU School of Medicine, Center for the Study of Asian American Health, 550 First Ave, MSB-153, New York City, NY 10016, (5) Dean's Office, NYU School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, SLH, New York, NY 10016

Although Vietnamese Americans in New York City (NYC) represent only 1.5% of the city's Asian American population of nearly one million, they are also an emerging community that has seen a 55% growth in population since the 1990 US Census. Limited research about this community demonstrates that language barriers, dependence on public benefits, and poverty are among the realities that pose challenges to community development and health. The Vietnamese Community Health Initiative (VCHI) was formed to conduct outreach and build partnerships within the NYC Vietnamese American community with the goal of improving the community's health and access to resources. With guidance from a community advisory group from multiple sectors of the local Vietnamese American community (including places of worship, social services programs, healthcare providers, community organizers, and Vietnamese American-owned businesses), a health needs and resources assessment was developed to better understand the social and health needs of this community. The VCHI has identified resource gaps, including scarce social service programs, a limited number of healthcare providers, and few linguistically accessible services at public facilities such as hospitals and government offices, as affecting the health needs of this community. Divergent characteristics within the community based on religious affiliation, local geography, refugee status and ethnic difference (Vietnamese vs. Chinese) also contribute a social and cultural context to understanding health disparities in this community. The development of the VCHI highlights the significance of developing community partnerships and navigating community dynamics in order to work with emergent communities whose needs are most often under-recognized.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session participants will
• learn about the health status of a previously under-researched community of Asian refugees in the United States;
• gain an understanding of how the context of community affects health needs, access to healthcare, and larger processes of community development; and
• be able to discuss innovative strategies for community outreach in conducting needs assessment with emergent minority communities.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered