May 2010 Seminar Series
In commemoration of Asian American Heritage Month, the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) presents the next NIH Health Disparities Seminar Series, which focuses on Asian Americ\an health disparities and is scheduled for May 20, 2010.
Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders are federal census groupings that comprise socio-culturally diverse populations whose lands of origin encompass more than half the world's surface. Although many Asian Americans have attained high levels of health and prosperity, when they are disaggregated into particular ethnic groups, stark health disparities are revealed. For example, cervical cancer incidence rates are five times higher among Vietnamese American women than white women, and Filipino Americans have much poorer five-year survival rates for colon and rectal cancers compared with the population at large. Although they represent a smaller portion of the American population, Pacific Islanders are also a rapidly growing population and consist of more than 20 major ethnic groups; a disproportionately high rate of diabetes is common to many of these groups. Native Hawaiians in particular, are more than five times more likely than the white population of Hawaii to die from diabetes and have a 50% higher rate of infant mortality.
Moving beyond the "model minority" myth, Dr. Moon S. Chen, Associate Director for Population Research and Cancer Health Disparities at the UC Davis Cancer Center in Sacramento, will describe the heterogeneity of Asian American and Pacific Islander populations and outline progress in establishing infrastructure, conducting studies, and training a workforce of researchers from these populations to address their health issues.Prospects for reducing the health disparities experienced by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities will also be discussed.
Dr. Chen, whose grandfather came to California in the late 1800s to seek gold, but instead wound up building the transcontinental railroad along with thousands of other immigrants from China, is a Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine. He is the Principal Investigator for the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training (AANCART), which focuses on reducing cancer health disparities among Asian Americans in California, Hawaii, and Seattle, and he leads the NCI and NCMHD-funded program project, "Liver Cancer Control Interventions for Asian Americans".
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Moon S. Chen
Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology
Principal Investigator, Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training (AANCART)
Department of Internal Medicine
UC Davis Cancer Center
Topic:
Reducing Health Disparities Confronting Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Other Pacific Islanders (AANHOPIs): Profiles, Progress, and Prospects
Date/Time:
Thursday, May 20, 2010
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location:
Natcher Conference Center
NIH Campus
Building 45, Balcony B
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD
For more information, call 301-402-1366.
There is limited parking on campus. The closest Metro is Medical Center. Please allow adequate time for security check.
Sign Language Interpreters will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation to participate should contact Edgar Dews at 301-402-1366 and/or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339). |
