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As we step into March, a month that celebrates both Women's History and Public Health, we continue our commitment to raising awareness about health challenges facing South Asian communities.
This month, we focus on equipping individuals with knowledge and resources to address pressing issues such as South Asian human rights, reproductive health, and events that SAPHA is involved in ensuring South Asian voices are included in public health discussions.
With a range of new research, events, and initiatives, let's continue to stay informed, advocate for change, and prioritize wellness in our communities.
In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, learn more about the importance of early detection and prevention in the South Asian community through our dedicated Colorectal Cancer Awareness post.
Additionally, be sure to explore the South Asian Research Hub’s
featured articles on Colorectal Cancer research.
March is also Endometriosis Awareness Month. Explore resources, stories, and insights on this often-overlooked condition in our Endometriosis Awareness post.
Stay connected, stay involved, and let's build a healthier future for all.
| | 🆕 New on SAPHA.org: Disaggregating Diversity | |
🧠 As many of you know, Asian Americans are often grouped together as a racial category in health-related research, despite “Asian American” encompassing dozens of different ethnic groups. Without disaggregated data, unique health risks go unnoticed, leading to inadequate healthcare policies, misinformed research, and disparities in treatment.
📊 By breaking down data by ethnicity, researchers and policymakers can better identify health inequities, develop targeted interventions, and ensure all South Asian communities receive the care and resources they need.
🙌🏽 In an effort to begin to fill the gap in data, SAPHA has compiled a working list of health outcomes datasets disaggregated to varying degrees of specificity in regard to ethnicity.
✅ Check out the Disaggregating Diversity page on our website!
| | Recap: CEAL Community Health Advisory Council Kickoff Meeting | | As part of NIH’s Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) grant, SAPHA is proud to join as a community partner with the College of Public Health at The University of North Texas Health Science Center in developing a Community Health Ambassador program to address the high prevalence of type II diabetes in the South Asian community in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Last month, Partnerships Coordinator Amish Doshi and Treasurer Malinee Neelamegam attended the kickoff meeting in Fort Worth and had a chance to meet fellow community partners and learn about the work ahead. | | |
The CEAL Advisory Council, including our Partnerships Coordinator
Amish Doshi, MPH (far right of photo).
As a member of the Community Health Ambassador Council (CHAC), SAPHA’s role will be to attend quarterly council meetings, provide culturally-relevant feedback, assist in recruitment, participate in the co-creation of survey tools, interview guides, and program development.
We look forward to providing future updates on this exciting project!
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Organization Spotlight: SHAHI
The South Asian Health and Harmony Initiative (SHAHI) is a non-profit organization with the mission to improve health literacy and mitigate health inequities for South Asians by generating community through storytelling, research, and education.
SHAHI seeks to understand how identity impacts decisions about our health and the health of our loved ones. SHAHI is generating a platform where people can find beacons of hope in managing their illness and provide resources for South Asians looking to improve the quality of life for themselves or their loved ones. SHAHI has published interview-write ups (including physicians) and newsletters, each presenting a different theme of South Asian health.
Follow SHAHI through their website and on Instagram.
✅ To be featured on SHAHI’s stories, please feel free to complete the following interest form: SHAHI Stories Interest Form.
| | 🚨New Publications on Reproductive Health🚨 | | Infertility Among South Asian Women in the U.S.: Gynecologic Diagnosis and Future Risk of Chronic Disease | | |
A new publication titled "Infertility Among South Asian Women in the U.S.: Gynecologic Diagnosis and Future Risk of Chronic Disease" by Shreya Bhatia, BS, Vanderbilt University, Nitasha Nagaraj, DrPh, George Washington University, and Amita Vyas, PhD at George Washington University, explores the link between infertility, gynecologic disorders, and the increased risk of chronic diseases among South Asian women in the U.S.
The study finds high rates of conditions like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and PCOS, which are associated with a greater likelihood of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. The authors emphasize the need for more targeted research and healthcare strategies to address these health disparities in the South Asian community.
✅ Read the full study at this link
| | Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the AANHPI Community: Understanding Barriers to Access in Georgia | | |
The report "Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the AANHPI Community: Understanding Barriers to Access in Georgia" from the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) highlights significant barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care faced by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities in Georgia.
Conducted in partnership with Emory University's Center for Reproductive Health Research in the Southeast, the study identifies challenges such as financial constraints, negative experiences with SRH providers, and a lack of knowledge about abortion. Despite having access to healthcare, many AANHPI individuals face difficulties in accessing care due to cultural stigma, language barriers, and limited family discussions around SRH.
The report calls for improved community-based resources and healthcare services tailored to the specific needs of these communities.
✅ For further details, read the full report here
| | Intersecting Epidemics: Intimate Partner Violence, Stress, and Diabetes Among South Asian Women in the United States | | |
This newly published study highlights:
- The strong association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and Type 2 & gestational diabetes among South Asian women.
- How chronic stress and cortisol dysregulation may contribute to these health disparities.
- The urgent need for culturally tailored interventions addressing IPV and chronic disease prevention in this community.
This research underscores the importance of integrating public health, gender equity, and chronic disease prevention to drive systemic change.
✅ For further details, read the full study here
| | 3/27 - South Asian Health Research and Rights Panel | | |
🗓️ On Thursday, March 27th at Noon-1pm ET/9am-10am PT, join the second panel in a timely series exploring what's at stake for Indian Americans under the new administration.
In a time when trust in mainstream news is increasingly questioned, the series offers a space for thoughtful and expert-driven discussion to educate and empower the South Asian community with actionable insights.
MODERATOR
🎤 Sital Kalantry, Founding Director Roundglass India Center, Associate Dean and Professor of Law at the Seattle University Law School
SPEAKERS
🎤 Vin Gupta, American pulmonologist and medical analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. He also serves as an affiliate professor at University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
🎤 Samira Khan, President, South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of South Asian communities in the United States through advocacy, partnerships with public health professionals, and communicating relevant knowledge about South Asian health.
🎤 Seema Mohapatra, MD Anderson Foundation Endowed Professor in Health Law and Professor of Law, Southern Methodist University; Expert in health law, bioethics, racial and gender equity, assisted reproduction & reproductive justice.
The webinar is free to attend.
| | 3/25-3/26 APAICS Health Summit | | |
🗓️ The 2025 Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) Health Summit
will be held virtually on March 25-26, from
12:00-4:00pm ET / 9am-1pm PT.
This event brings together healthcare leaders, community advocates, and policymakers to discuss critical issues such as healthcare access, representation in healthcare research, and disparities affecting Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) communities.
The summit will feature discussions on topics like mental health, the Affordable Care Act’s impact, and the need for disaggregated health data.
Key elected officials, including Reps. Judy Chu and Pramila Jayapal,
will also participate.
APAICS is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the political process, including through leadership development, advocacy, and increasing AAPI representation in government.
✅ Register for APAICS Health Summit here
| | Call for Study Participants | |
🧠 Understanding Barriers to Quality and Effective Mental Health Care for South Asians and South Asian Americans
| | Research Institution: Suffolk University | |
Eligibility criteria includes:
- People who identify as South Asian or South Asian American, Multiracial, or Mixed (South Asian and another race)
- 18 years of age or older
- Born in the United States OR born in another country but moved to the United States as a child
- Currently live in the United States
- English language proficiency
✅ Click to participate in the South Asian Mental Health Study
| | 🥬 NOURISH Study: Enhancing Nutrition Knowledge and Behaviors through a Culturally Tailored Virtual Program Focused on Asian Cuisine | | 👩🏻🤝👩🏽 South Asian American Women College Health | | |
Graduate students at GWU are looking for participants for public health research to help better understand the health and well-being of South Asian women.
If you identify as a South Asian Woman attending a college in the U.S. and are over the age of 18, click the link below to take the survey and enter for a chance to win a $50 gift card.
✅ Click to participate in the South Asian American Women College Health Study
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