社區民眾接受體檢

APAMSA at Washington University and Saint Louis University sponsor health fairs for the Asian community

Each year the Asian Pacific American Medical Students Associations (APAMSA) at Washington University and Saint Louis University sponsor health fairs for the Asian community. On November 21st, Washington University and Saint Louis University APAMSA chapters, held a free health fair at the Asian Farmer's Market on Olive Blvd. The purpose of the health fairs are to provide much needed screening of blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, vision, and hearing for members of the community. Also, we hope to educate people about cancer, annual breast exams, smoking cessation, and mental health. The three leading causes of death in Asian Pacific Americans are coronary artery disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease. In addition, the prevalence of diabetes in the Asian immigrant population is rising. Early detection of risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugars are key in successful treatment and control of these diseases.

Asian Pacific Americans (APA) suffer from the model minority myth which stems from the idea that Asian Pacific Americans have fewer health problems than other ethnic groups. Because of this widely held belief, many health issues of APA's are largely ignored such as the high incidence of TB, Hepatitis B, and depression among Asian populations in the US. The students who volunteered at the health fair saw first hand the erroneous nature of the model minority myth. Many people at the health fair screened positive for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars; and furthermore, several people were uninsured and did not know how to access the healthcare services in the US. Anyone screening positive is encouraged to see his/her doctor, and those who are uninsured can be seen at Washington University's free student-run clinic, the Saturday Neighborhood Clinic, http://www.medicine.wustl.edu/~socc/ or Saint Louis University's free student run clinic.

APAMSA aims to educate the community about the often forgotten and neglected health disparities affecting Asian Pacific Americans. The students will host another health fair in January or February of 2005, and both schools are working together to host an APAMSA regional conference April 15-16, 2005 to discuss and promote awareness of Asian Pacific American health issues, http://www.apamsa-region6.org.