Promoting Cambodian and Latino health using grassroots data collection strategies

Using community engagement strategies, the Cambodian Family (TCF) conducted a door-to-door community needs assessment (CNA) survey within a 1.25 square mile, high-crime neighborhood of Santa Ana, California; home to 12,000 Cambodian and Latino refugees and immigrants. The goals were to learn about: 1) cultural, environmental, and social health determinants, 2) community assets, challenges, threats, opportunities, and 3) gaps in existing health and social support services, with the purposes of highlighting community needs and health disparities in health and policy-making forums, enhancing TCF's health-promoting programs, and building effective collaborations to create systems-level approaches to identified needs. Sixty-five surveys were conducted with Cambodian (n=36) and Latino (n=29) residents. Females comprised (66.2%) of the sample, and the median age was Cambodians (56 years) and Latinos (47 years). Both Cambodian and Latino respondents rated the following aspects of their community as the top 3 serious threats to well-being: 1) crime/gang-related activities, and lack of access to 2) affordable health care, and 3) affordable healthy food. Increased police presence, safety, and violence reduction were named by Cambodians and Latinos as the change that would improve health within their community the most. Although 86.1% of Cambodians and 72.4% of Latinos had health insurance, the following challenges to receiving health care were cited most often by both: 1) not speaking English/not speaking English well; 2) fear of cost; and 3) lack of transportation. Inadequate exercise, feeling stress/worry, and worrying about safety were the top health concerns, and family/friends and culture/tradition were noted as facilitators of good health