health-day-2007.doc
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 4, 2007
CONTACT: Caroline Lee (323) 937-3718
CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Korean Resource Center Hosts 7th Semi-Annual Health Day To Combat Devastating Effects Of Illness On Uninsured Populations
WHAT: The Korean Resource Center will hold a Health Day event to provide free screenings and advocacy for low-income, uninsured communities in Los Angeles County. The event will serve as a local resource for the vulnerable and underserved Korean American community members by providing linguistically and culturally appropriate health services and education workshops. In addition to medical, vision and dental consultations and referrals, partnering organizations will provide vital and age-appropriate screenings, such as mammograms, pap smears, basic blood tests (cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose), bone density, colon rectal cancer, hepatitis B, and acupuncture.
WHEN:Saturday, October 6, 2007. 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
WHERE:Olympic Presbyterian Church (1700 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA.)
WHO: The Health Day event is hosted by the Korean Resouce Center (KRC), whose mission is to improve the health status of Korean Americans, foster a belief that health care should be incorporated into our daily lives and ensure Korean American representation in the health policy, funding, and education.
The following organizations along with a number of volunteer physicians will provide resources available for health consultations and screenings:
•Asian Pacific Liver Center at St. Vincent Medical Center
•The Elizabeth Center
•Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Office of Women’s Health
•Olympic Presbyterian Church
•Sanofi-Aventis
•UCLA Asian American Network Cancer Awareness Research and Training (AANCART)
•UCLA Asian Pacific Health Corps
•Young American Leaders Association
WHY: According to the 2005 UCLA California Health Interview Survey, over 43% of Koreans are uninsured as the result of low rates of employment-based insurance (30%). Nationally, Korean Americans are known to have the highest uninsured rates at 52% among all ethnicities. Lack of health insurance coverage and the language barrier directly impede the ability of Korean Americans from receiving preventive medical care and having regular medical checkups. Asian American females are the first American population to experience cancer as the leading cause of death. Studies have found that English language proficiency was associated with having a mammogram and the proportion of life spent in the United States was associated with having a Pap smear. KRC continues its efforts to develop culturally appropriate educational programs and health policy plans to address the Korean American community’s health care needs.
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health-day-2007-fact-sheet.pdf
Korean American Health Fact Sheet
Demographics
- According to the 2000 U.S. Census, approximately 1,077,000 Koreans reside in the United States and is the 5th largest Asian American ethnic group.
- Recent immigrants, almost 78% of the Korean Population are foreign-born and 76% speak a language other than English at home.
Access to Health Care
- Findings from the 2005 UCLA California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) reveal over 43% of Koreans are uninsured, a 6% increase when compared to the results of the previous 2003 survey.
- The high rate of uninsured is attributed to the low rate of health coverage Korean Americans receive through employment (30% compared to 70% among whites).
- Almost 68% do not have dental insurance and over 1 in 5 Korean Americans could not afford dental care. (UCLA CHIS, 2003)
Lack of health insurance coverage and the language barrier create insurmountable barriers in accessing health services.
Chronic Diseases & Infectious Diseases
- Lack of insurance is the strongest barrier to receiving adequate care for high blood pressure. (Kang JH, Han HR, Kim BK, Kim MT. (2006). Barriers to care and control of high blood pressure in Korean American elderly. Ethnicity & Disease)
- Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among Korean American women (National Institutes of Health, 2006) 34% never had a mammogram screening. Though cervical cancer is also common in Korean American women, 31% never had a pap test. (UCLA CHIS, 2005)
- Colonrectal cancer is the 2nd most common cancer among Korean American women and 3rd among Korean American men. (North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, 1999)
- 60.6% of Korean Americans has a bone condition (UCLA CHIS, 2005)
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