Asian Health News

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Racial and Ethnic Differences in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Children and Adolescents Aged 5-17 Years and Parental Intent to Vaccinate Their Children-National Immunization Survey-Child Covid Module, United States, December 2020-September 2022

January 6, 2023 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report to discuss racial and ethnic differences in COVID-19 vaccination coverage among children and adolescents.

This report highlights that some racial and ethnic groups are at increased risk for COVID-19–associated morbidity and mortality because of systemic and structural inequities. Vaccination is effective in preventing severe COVID-19–related outcomes.

Among children and adolescents aged 5–17 years, ≥1-dose COVID-19 vaccination coverage was low overall but highest among Asian and Hispanic or Latino children and adolescents. Parental intent to vaccinate their child varied by the child’s age, race, and ethnicity. Parents of unvaccinated children and adolescents reported low confidence in vaccine safety, and a low percentage reported receipt of a provider vaccination recommendation.

To increase overall coverage and address disparities in child and adolescent COVID-19 vaccination coverage, providers and trusted messengers should provide culturally relevant information and vaccine recommendations.

 


NBC News: How structural medical racism perpetuates Asian American cancer disparities

June 7, 2022, | NBC News released an article on the harms of aggregated data and underrepresentation in research on cancer outcomes for Asian American populations.

Dr. Moon Chen tells NBC, “there’s a conspicuous omission of Asian Americans in clinical trials, and scholarship funding is a reflection of institutional racism."

This article highlights the story of Susan Shinagawa and the urgent need to address institutional and medical racism against Asian Americans.

“It’s really an institutional bias against Asians, partly from this lingering racism from the get-go," Susan Shinagawa states. "Our problems never make the headlines."


Health Affairs: The Mutually Reinforcing Cycle Of Poor Data Quality And Racialized Stereotypes That Shapes Asian American Health

Feb 2022 | Health Affairs recently published an article titled "The Mutually Reinforcing Cycle Of Poor Data Quality And Racialized Stereotypes That Shapes Asian American Health." This article discusses the systematic issues in the data collection process that contribute to the model minority, healthy immigrant effect, and perpetual foreigner Asian stereotypes found in both the scientific community and general society. The authors detail how this affects bias and health disparities faced by the Asian community and recommendations that can potentially address these issues.


The New York Times: How to Help India Amid the Covid Crisis

Nov 17, 2021 | Donors around the world are giving money for meals, medical expenses, P.P.E. and oxygen tanks, among other essential supplies. Here’s how you can help.

India’s coronavirus crisis is the worst since the pandemic began, and it will probably worsen before it gets better.


Resilience: A Medical Journey

Jan 26, 2021 | IndianRaga in collaboraton with Harvard medical students Maheetha Bharadwaj and Dipal Nagda and choreographer Swathi Jaisankar have come together to create a deeply moving narrative medicine piece featuring Bharatanatyam dance. The project is titled "Resilience: A Medical Journey" and powerfully portrays the journey of a patient though a cancer diagnosis.

To watch the full performance and interviews, please click here.


USA Today: Asian Americans in San Francisco are dying at alarming rates from COVID-19: Racism is to blame

Oct 18, 2020 | "COVID-19 is killing Asian Americans in the Bay Area. In this six-part series, USA TODAY investigates how systemic racism is driving high death rates."