Health priorities of the Himalayan community in New York City: Findings from a community health survey

Background:

Asians are the fastest growing group in NYC.  The NYC Himalayan community, including the Tamang, Sherpa, Tibetan, and Mustang subgroups, has been rapidly increasing.  A key project goal was to reach newly emerging Asian subgroups to better understand health priorities and barriers to accessing healthcare services.  

Methods:

Working in partnership with Himalayan-serving community-based organizations , the survey was developed through the adaptation of existing surveys using validated measures, culturally-tailored and translated as needed, and implemented in-language at community venues.  This method ensures that underserved and hard-to-reach immigrant populations are surveyed.   

Results:

All respondents (N=156) were born outside the US, with the majority (68%) having lived in the US for 10 years or less.  High rates of poverty were reported, with 37% reporting an income of less than $25,000 and an average of 3.34 adults in the home.  Majority of respondents reported  low English language proficiency (87%).  Using Asian BMI cutoff, 75% are overweight or obese, and only 37% meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.  Oral health emerged as a key priority, with only 44% having seen a dentist in the past year, and 23% never having seen a dentist.  Majority of respondents (59%) rated their oral health as poor or fair, and oral health was identified as the second top health concern (26%) after headache (33%). 

Conclusions:

Using a community-engaged approach, results will be disseminated to the community, and community-identified health promotion strategies will be explored to address the needs of NYC’s Himalayan community.