Mayor Gail Gupiter
Northwest Asia Weekly
Dr. Jeffrey Duchin
April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM), and this year’s theme is “Bring Your Community Up!”
NMHM is an initiative driven by the Office of Minority Health that focuses on the health of Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American and other underserved groups. Through disease prevention and early identification, the goal is to eliminate the disproportionate burden of premature death and avoidable disease in minority communities.
This year’s theme focuses on the role individuals and organizations can play in reducing minority health inequalities, emphasizes the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations, including COVID-19 boosters, and spreads trusted messages as a way to end COVID-19 -19 Key Strategies for the Pandemic.
A report from the Seattle and King County Department of Public Health (PHSKC), with data drawn from the Social and Economic Risk Index, shows that COVID-19 testing rates are more common among people with essential non-healthcare workers, lower education and income levels, larger household sizes, and Families with foreign-born residents or those with limited English proficiency, which lead to higher numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
According to data from a community-level study published by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in The Lancet Public Health, King County communities with lower levels of education, poverty, and a racially and ethnically diverse population have lower life expectancy and deaths higher rate. University of Washington and PHSKC.
“These inequalities or differences in health outcomes that are found in different populations are known as health disparities,” Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, health officer at the Seattle and King County Department of Public Health, said in a Q&A published by the King County Public Health Insider page.
The study showed that minorities in downtown Seattle, the South Seattle area and southwest King County had higher rates of illness and injury than on Mercer Island and other cities in the east.
“We’re also seeing higher levels of poverty, lower levels of education and other social inequalities, in part because of chronic underinvestment and social injustice,” Duchin said.
Minorities are also less likely to be able to afford health care and face other risks associated with the COVID-19 virus. This is especially true for undocumented immigrants who often struggle to access basic health care.
“The poorer a person is, the more difficult it is to meet basic necessities — access to healthy food, recreational opportunities, safe housing in a safe community, good schools, employment and transportation options,” Duchin said. “Furthermore, increased barriers to meeting these necessities can lead to chronic stress that increases the chance of illness and disability.”
Community-level studies have shown that minority groups are more likely to suffer from heart disease. This may be due to lack of access to screening services, health care cultural beliefs that cause people to delay treatment, and economic disparities that limit people’s ability to afford necessary care.
“If some diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, can be prevented, it will have the greatest impact on improving overall health and reducing disparities,” Duchin said.
Mental health is another area where minorities in the U.S. differ significantly from the general population. Multiple studies have shown that minorities have less access to mental health services and are less likely to receive the treatment they need than whites. and were more likely to receive low-quality care when they were treated.
“While Seattle is a cultural melting pot, I feel that the disparities in mental health are further exacerbated by the lack of easy access to culture-specific services,” said Luisa Kwok, a behavioral health outreach clinician at Sound, a local nonprofit that provides mental health services.
Kwok believes Seattle is very resource-intensive, but in order to support mental health issues in the community, organizations must really understand the populations they serve and continually work to improve on how to better serve them.
Anti-Asian hatred has been amplified since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as Asians are often blamed for the outbreak. The psychological stress of anti-Asian hatred has made Asians more vulnerable to pandemic-related mental health issues.
“Race can have an impact on our mental health when others present their views of the race we identify with based on their understanding of race. Unfortunately, people’s understanding of other races can sometimes be flawed or misleading,” Guo said.
In the Seattle community, International Community Health Services (ICHS) has been addressing racial disparities in healthcare for more than four decades. ICHS has been addressing racism head-on by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health services to minorities.
Previous research has shown that minority patients are more likely to trust doctors of their own race, and that trust can lead to better health outcomes.
Vilma Gutierrez Fernandez and her sister need to go to ICHS for their health. Fernandez found the staff very friendly and helpful, and she agrees that familiarity is important.
“I’m the caregiver of my eldest sister. If I can’t date her at ICHS, I’m sure she’ll have a good Tagalog interpreter,” Fernandez said.
To provide equitable opportunity for all, King County’s Equity and Social Justice Initiative developed a strategic plan to guide policy decisions and services that emphasize the need to reduce health inequalities.
It is also important that advocates in minority communities share their expertise and engage in health policy debates. Too often, these communities are excluded from the conversation, which can lead to policies that are not aligned with their specific needs.
ICHS President and CEO Teresita Batayola said, “It is critical that Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander voices are represented in national policy discussions, especially on important issues such as culturally competent health care and access. on.” President Biden recently appointed Battajola to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Advisory Council, one of 25 leaders appointed by the council.
Individuals and organizations can support policies that improve access to quality health care for minorities by implementing targeted education and outreach programs and promoting COVID-19 prevention. By working together, we can advance our community!
Gale can reach info@nwasianweekly.com.
