Celebrating Minority Mental Health Month
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July marked Minority Mental Health Month, highlighting the mental health challenges faced by racial and ethnic minorities. As we move into August, SAPHA continues to emphasize the importance of mental health within our community, particularly as it intersects with culture and identity.
Over 44 million people from South Asian countries live outside their homelands, with over 3.4 million residing in the U.S. While their cultural diversity enriches their identities, the migration journey often brings significant mental health challenges. Many South Asian immigrants and their descendants struggle to balance cultural identities, cope with discrimination, and adapt to new environments, which can lead to emotional distress. Research shows that South Asian immigrants in North America and the UK are more vulnerable to depression and anxiety than their non-immigrant peers, with 1 in 5 U.S. South Asians reporting a mood or anxiety disorder during their lifetime.
Despite these challenges, many South Asians are reluctant to seek help due to cultural and social stigmas, religious beliefs, and family expectations. To tackle these issues, we must normalize mental health discussions and encourage open dialogue. While stigma still exists, there are increasing stories of support from families and communities once mental health issues are acknowledged. Teens and young adults often fear judgment, but many find support when they open up to loved ones.
Learn more by educating yourself on the mental health challenges faced by South Asian Americans, joining support groups, or seeking a culturally sensitive provider.
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August 9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
On this day, we honor the resilience and contributions of Indigenous communities worldwide, including those in South Asia. In the U.S., Indigenous populations, such as American Indian and Alaska Native communities, face a high prevalence of mental health issues, obesity, substance use disorders, and various other health challenges. These communities often reside in remote areas with limited access to healthcare, and even when services are available, the quality of care is frequently subpar.
This issue extends beyond American Indigenous populations. In South Asia, Indigenous peoples, known as Adivasis (original inhabitants) or by various other terms depending on the region, often live in inaccessible or difficult-to-reach areas. They face a wide range of inequalities, including poverty, land alienation, lower life expectancy, higher mortality rates, hunger, illiteracy, and insecurity. Access to healthcare, education, productive employment, and political representation remains limited for these communities.
We can make a difference by bringing these disparities to light and advocating for intersectoral policies and integrated healthcare services that address systemic inequalities, discrimination, and power imbalances. By supporting initiatives that prioritize the health and well-being of Indigenous communities, we can contribute to a more equitable and just world.
August 26: Women’s Equality Day
The struggle for women’s equality is not limited to one day, but rather this day is to celebrate the strides made toward gender equality while acknowledging the work that still lies ahead. This day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment in the US, which granted women the right to vote. However, the struggle for gender equality continues, particularly in the realm of women’s health and rights within the South Asian community.
In many South Asian cultures, women face significant barriers to accessing healthcare, including cultural taboos around reproductive health, limited autonomy in decision-making, and socio-economic constraints. Issues such as maternal health, gender-based violence, and access to education remain pressing challenges that require our attention and action.
Sakhi for South Asian Survivors is dedicated to empowering the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean diaspora in America through a survivor-led movement for gender justice. They provide culturally competent direct services, including a helpline, counseling, advocacy, housing assistance, economic empowerment, food justice, elder abuse intervention, and youth programs, all of which honor the collective strength and inherent resilience of survivors of violence.
By engaging in discussions, supporting local organizations, and educating ourselves and others, we can help ensure that every woman, regardless of her background, has the opportunity to lead a healthy and empowered life.
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Our Commitment to Mentorship
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SAPHA is proud to offer internships to students interested in contributing to SAPHA’s mission. Learn more about our 2024 interns below. Their commitment to advancing public health initiatives is evident in the quality of their work and the enthusiasm they brought to our projects. Their efforts have not only enhanced our work but also underscored the importance of diverse perspectives in public health.
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Palash Bhanot
Public Health, Prevention and Community Health
George Washington University
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Vedika Pathak
Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Boston University
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Throughout their time with us, these talented individuals have provided fresh insights, supported key initiatives, and helped drive our mission forward. Their efforts have not only enhanced our work but also underscored the importance of diverse perspectives in public health.
If you are interested in getting involved with SAPHA, please fill out our interest form and check this page for any new internship postings.
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We would also like to take a moment to express our gratitude to Thoin Begum and Nishka Reddy, who conclude their board positions this month. Thoin and Nishka were instrumental in advancing our mission and elevating the voice of the organization. We thank them for their incredible contributions and commitment to SAPHA.
Thoin will begin her AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship placement in the Executive Branch program area at the National Science Foundation. Nishka will be focusing on her role as the Adolescent Immunization Coordinator at the Department of State Health Services in Texas.
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Research and News Highlights
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SAPHA is supporting the data collection efforts for Collaborative Approach for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Research and Education (CARE) 2.0, an NIH-funded, voluntary research study. CARE 2.0 aims to create a large repository of people of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) descent who can be contacted about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, aging, caregiver-related research, and other health topics across the lifespan.
This research is being performed at UCSF, UCD, UCI, UH, CSUEB or ICAN and other institutions/organizations with Institutional Review Board approvals for research with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations. All collected information will be de-identified and your participation is voluntary.
SAPHA is eager to support this important data collection effort, which will contribute to meaningful research on aging-related diseases and health in AANHPI communities. To participate, follow the unique link provided by SAPHA: https://tinyurl.com/SAPHACARE.
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Empowering Health in the Indian American Community
In collaboration with Pragati, a Bengali Indian community-based organization, a recent scoping survey revealed crucial insights into the cancer screening behaviors and health needs of Indian Americans in Greater Philadelphia. Despite high levels of health insurance coverage and regular physical exams, significant gaps in cancer screening referrals persist, highlighting the need for increased awareness and accessibility of preventive care services. This research underscores the importance of community partnerships in addressing health disparities and improving the overall well-being of the Indian American population. Read the full paper here.
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Exciting News! Our Advocacy Committee co-chairs, Anmol Sharma and Rubana Hossain, will be speaking at the @apigbv National Summit: Growing from Our Roots August 27-29, 2024, at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco! It's going to be an incredible gathering of minds dedicated to ending gender-based violence.
You still have time to join them for a transformative experience! You can register at bit.ly/apigbvsummit24 #APIGBV2024 #NationalSummitSpeaker
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In this month’s spotlight Asian Women for Health (AWFH) is a local non-profit organization (based in Massachusetts) dedicated to advancing Asian women’s health and well-being through community engagement, education, and representation. AWFH focuses on 1) the delivery of culturally and linguistically appropriate health education with an emphasis on prevention; 2) connecting women on important health issues, including highlighting their personal journeys to becoming agents of change and; 3) building an online community to share information and support, while reducing language barriers.
Having reached over 10,000 Asians since its inception in 2012, AWFH exhibits an impressive list of achievements including holding its annual women’s health conferences along with its first ever gala this past May, conducting community health worker (CHW) trainings and job placements, developing fact sheets/resources, hosting webinars and podcasts, and participating in strategic partnerships with organizations such as NIH to advocate for more representation of Asian Americans in research.
You can follow AWFH by subscribing to their newsletter and their social media channels including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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South Asian Public Health Association Spotlight Series
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In our eighth episode, we're excited to feature Dr. Shipra Singh, a former SAPHA Vice President. Dr. Singh is a Professor and the Program Director for the Health Education doctoral program at the School of Population Health, University of Toledo. She also serves as the Director of the Health Equity Research Center (HERC) at the College of Health and Human Services and is a key faculty member at the School for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education.
Join us as we delve into Dr. Singh’s remarkable journey, exploring her impactful work at the intersection of medicine and public health, with a special focus on social determinants of health, health disparities, and interprofessional education.
Don’t miss out—catch up on our Spotlight Series on Spotify or YouTube, and stay tuned for Dr. Singh’s episode!
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Thanks for checking out SAPHA!
Our mission is to actively advance health equity and well-being within the South Asian community. We achieve this through advocacy, education, research, outreach, and by building essential community partnerships. Discover more about our mission or support our cause by visiting sapha.org!
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