Season Change – the things you need to watch for

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Spring is quickly arriving and with the new season, there are some things to do. For every season, we all need to prepare for it. Here are some ways that you can help prep yourself for the new season:

More cleaning? Sadly, yes we all need to clean our yard every year. Whether it is pulling out weeds, raking leaves, picking up pine seeds, planting new garden plants, or trimming the grass, it can help prep the yard to allow new things to grow. Also, it’ll help make the yard look cleaner.
How to properly dispose garbage and recycle? Depending on where you live, the city will tell you how to organize your recyclables and dispose garbages based on the city rules. It will help make it easier for the waste service to handle them and prevent you from paying any fees.
Experiencing warmer (or colder) weather? Time to put away your clothes that are not suited to the weather. Whether it is warm or cold weather, dress accordingly so that you can fully enjoy the warm weather (or protect yourself from the cold).
Food is a major part of the seasonal change! Check out your local farmer’s market and groceries to get fruits and veggies that are in season. As a bonus, having a garden can help you get outside, stay active, and grow your own produces!
There are many activities that you can do each season. Spring and summer is great for fishing, camping, walking, running, bicycling, swimming, and more. Fall and winter is great for harvesting, skiing, sledding, walking, and more. So it really depends on what you want to do during the season.
New season means other holidays are coming near! Usually, people get work off as well as students. It is a great way for families to celebrate with great food, entertainment, and bonding with others.
Season positions? Summer is the prime time for internships, summer jobs, and youth employment programs. It is a great way for many youths to earn a few buck while having time to spare for personal fun.

There are many things to do each season so make sure you enjoy each of them while they are still here! Have fun, stay active, and experience new things.

Risks of Tobacco Use

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Patricia Thao

We should always help educate youth about tobacco use and its risks. One of the many reasons why is because many people die each year due to using or smoking or being exposed to tobacco. According to www.cdc.gov, more than 480,000 deaths occur annually (including deaths from secondhand smoke). Here are some risks of tobacco exposure:

Being second handy exposed to tobacco can cause you to develop health risks as a normal person using tobacco
Tobacco can increase the risk of cancer which can form in most of your organs. The highest death rates are found in patients who developed lung and heart cancer.
Nicotine is found in cigarettes and it is proven to be an addictive substance (http://www.drugabuse.gov). A stimulant can make the user feel adrenaline and become more alert. In this case, cigarettes can do the same and even produce a calming effect on the user.
Many youths are influenced to use or smoke tobacco due to their social environments such as peers, families, stress, genetics, and more.

Comparing the lungs between a non smoker to a smoker, you can see the drastic difference in their health and conditions.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/

One of the best thing to do is avoid using or being exposed to tobacco. Don’t let anyone influence you to put yourself at risk. As a growing person, you may be influence to make decisions that you personally don’t want to. So be aware of who is a positive and negative influence in your life. Sometimes the best thing to do is just say “No”.

Building a Better Community

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Our environment impacts our life in many ways that we are unaware of. Sometimes, the environment we live in can do good or bad thing to us such as our health, perspective, feelings and more. If you grow up in a neater community with a more nature, pedestrian, and family friendly environment you are more likely to have better health and a positive outlook on life. The same applies if you grew up in a poor condition community with little sidewalks, greens, and pollution you are more likely to have a poorer health and less likely to have a positive perspective.

There are things we can do to make our community a better place. It is about teamwork and commitment to make healthy change occur where you live. So how can you help your own community?

1. Attend community meetings. The most informative way to know what needs to change and improve about your community is understanding the problems. Get to know your community members and share your ideas on how the community can be improved.

2. Organize a team effort. Whether it is planting more trees or picking up trashes or starting a community garden, a small difference can make the community change. When people start to see improvement in their community, they are more willing to participate and be involved in their community.

3. Raise awareness. Try publishing interesting topics in your neighborhood newspaper, campaigns, and charity events where you can allow the residents and other people to know about the change you are pursuing.

Korean Americans

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Patricia Thao

According to the 2010 U.S. Census the eight largest Asian American populations in Minnesota are the Hmong, Asian Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Laotian, and Cambodian communities. Specifically, 27 percent of the total population identify themselves as Hmong, 15.5 percent are Asian Indian, 11.7 percent are Chinese, 11.1 percent are Vietnamese, 4.9 percent are Laotians, and 3.9 percent are Cambodians (See Figure 2).

Minnesota is home to over 40 different Asian Pacific Minnesotan immigrant and refugee communities. Each community has its own strengths and challenges that may be unique to that ethnic community. The following is an overview of how the Korean American community is faring in Minnesota.

Korean American Community Overview

The Korean community in Minnesota is defined by three distinct populations: Korean immigrants who came to the state as wives of U.S. servicemen following the Korean War, Korean immigrants drawn by educational and professional opportunities, and Korean adoptees who were brought to the state by Minnesotan families after the end of the Korean War.[i] There are about 13,000 to 15,000 Korean adoptees in the state.[ii] Most members of the Koreans community in Minnesota are professionally employed with a median household income of $60,984.ⁱ APA ComMNet REACH CORE project staff and volunteers met with Korean American community members and leaders throughout the Twin Cities to understand the community’s strengths, challenges and other social and environmental factors affecting its overall health and well being.

Korean American Community Strengths

In general, the Korean American community perceived its quality of life in the Twin Cities as one consisting of increasing financial wellbeing and higher educational and professional attainment. Ample activities and opportunities exist for Korean Americans to be academically, financially, and socially healthy. Korean American members who participated in the project said they were proud of the their community’s academic and professional achievements. More than half of the Korean American population over the age of 25 years old in the state has a college or professional degree and only 6.3 percent are unemployed.ⁱ As a guest in the Korean Radio show stated, “Many Koreans in Minnesota have professional jobs. High education standard is one of characteristics of Minnesota. A good educational environment is the most important factor too.” Korean Americans also identified having a good family relationship and relationship to the Korean community was important towards a healthy life in Minnesota. They added that maintaining a spiritual or religious practice, such as the Korean church, helps community members to be healthy.

Korean American Community Challenges

Korean American community members who participated in the project indicated that elders and newly arrived immigrants faced challenges in accessing appropriate health care services. Many stated that the lack of resources for limited English proficiency populations and affordable health insurance were among the issues that concerned Korean Americans. “Cost of private health insurance are high. Some of Koreans are still working to pay their health insurance. We have a private insurance before [turning 65 years old, when one is eligible for government subsidized health care]. We need to have solution for this,” stated one guest during the Korean radio show. APA ComMNet survey results also showed that Korean Americans were less likely to do any physical exercise or see a medical professional and were more likely to have been diagnosed with diabetes and suffer a heart attack than most other AAPI groups that participated in this project (See Figure 4).

REACH CORE Radio Talk Show:

Korean Community

Host Park: What are the three most important factors for a healthy Korean community in Minnesota?

Guest Kang: Strong family relationship, healthy life style, and religious or spiritual values are the three most important factors. Strong family relationship can improve our community in many ways like low crime rate, child education, safe neighborhoods, etc. Keeping healthy life style will be helpful for our community to become healthy. Religious values are the most important one.

Host Park: I agree with that strong family relationship is one of the three most important factors. When one’s home is happy, all goes well.

[i] Minnesota Historical Society, 2013. “Becoming Minnesotan: Stories of Recent Immigrants and Refugees.” St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved January 8, 2013 (http://education.mnhs.org/immigration/)

[ii] Olson, Norma Smith, 2010. “We’re From Here: New Book Gives a Visual History of Adopted Koreans in Minnesota.” Minnesota Women’s Press (September 10, 2010).

Laotian American Community Overview

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Patricia Thao

According to the 2010 U.S. Census the eight largest Asian American populations in Minnesota are the Hmong, Asian Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Laotian, and Cambodian community. Specifically, 27 percent of the total population identify themselves as Hmong, 15.5 percent are Asian Indian, 11.7 percent are Chinese, 11.1 percent are Vietnamese, 4.9 percent are Laotians, and 3.9 percent are Cambodians (See Figure 2).

Following a similar path as other AAPI refugees displaced by the Vietnam War, the Laotian community arrived in Minnesota in the late 1970s and 1980s to rebuild their lives.[i] Approximately 12,000 Laotians live in mostly urban counties in the Twin Cities and earn a median income of $40,000, which is the lowest income range among all eight AAPI ethnic communities. Laotian Americans have high unemployment rates at 12.7 percent. Over 40 percent of the Laotian population earned less than a high school diploma.ⁱ APA ComMNet REACH CORE project staff and volunteers met with Laotian American community members and leaders throughout the Twin Cities to understand the community’s strengths, challenges and other social and environmental factors affecting its overall health and wellbeing.

Laotian American Community Strengths

Laotian Americans who participated in this project stated that their strong family and community connections are important in improving the health and wellbeing of their community. Family members rely on each other for support and often visit with one another to talk about issues affecting their family or community. Sunny Chanthanouvong, Executive Director of the Lao Assistance Center, stated in his key informant interview that health information is usually spread using family and community network. Knowledge about diseases and preventive health practices are often communicated through storytelling and discussions during small get-togethers or at large community events. “We talk about sickness and health, we talk about the need for people to get exercise and eat healthy,” said Sunny Chanthanouvong who added that good as well as bad experiences of community members when dealing with health issues are often shared with one another.

Laotian American Community Challenges

Laotian Americans indicated that many in their community live in distressed neighborhoods and physical exercise as well as healthy eating habits may sometimes be difficult for members of the community. Due to their relatively recent introduction to the American health care system, some Laotian Americans may not be familiar with preventive practices to deter diseases or how certain disease can spread through different channels. Sunny Chanthanouvong explained how his organization attempts to educate Laotian Americans on flu prevention.

“It’s very important to help the community to truly understand the concept – where it’s coming from. People say that you have to save money for retirement, but what does that really mean? When there’s flu going around, they tell us, wash your hands to keep flu away but they still shake hands with someone who is sick. There is something behind just washing the hands, you have to tell the purpose for it, it’s not going to help much…we need deeper education.”

– Sunny Chanthanouvong, Executive Director of the Lao Assistance Center on educating the Lao American community about infectious diseases

In addition, APA ComMNet Health survey results show that the Laotian American community exhibited high tobacco use with nearly 30 percent of Laotian Americans stating that they frequently smoked cigarettes (Figure 3). Anecdotally, Laotian Americans also indicated that alcohol use was prevalent in the community especially during family and community celebrations despite the lack of evidence from this study affirming this notion. Laotian Americans added that smoking and drinking are common practices in Laos and young Laotian Americans who were raised in the U.S. often see their parents drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes leading many Laotian American youth to believe that such behaviors are normal and adopt their parents’ addictive habits as their own.

Bicultural Healthy Living Poster

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Patricia Thao

Living biculturally is about having balancing in your life, family, diet, health, and friends. There are many great things one can incorporate in their daily lives that compasses more than one culture. Here is a fun poster on possibly things to do:

Here are other tips to outreach in other ethnic cultural groups/communities:

1. Meet international students!

If you’re a student or is housing a international student or know someone from another country, take the time to get to know them better. You will better understand their background, the culture, and the world they live in. Not only will it allow you to hear from a person’s firsthand experience, you’ll get better information than reading and finding them on your own.

2. Be part of different communities!

Participate in festivals, holidays, and other activities in different ethnic communities. It will provide you opportunities to expand your network and let you enjoy the different kinds of celebrations/activities a culture can offer.

3. Learn about your own culture!

You may not know much about your own culture and there may be many things you didn’t know before. So before expanding out to other cultures or if you don’t know where to start, think about your own culture(s). Try to get involved in your culture(s) through families and friends. Eventually, you’ll find something about your background that you’ll enjoy.

Bicultural Healthy Living

A Balanced Approach to a Bicultural Healthy Life

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