Health and Aging

Overview

Limited English proficiency and poverty prevent too many Southeast Asian American community members from receiving the care that they need. The traumatic experiences of war, genocide, and displacement left many Southeast Asian Americans with physical and mental health conditions that have gone untreated. Certain Southeast Asian American groups suffer disproportionately from hepatitis B and cervical cancer. SEAAs also have disproportionate experiences with mental health challenges, including major depression, PTSD, and other anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, most state and federal health systems fail to tease out data on Southeast Asian Americans from “Asian Americans” overall, making it difficult to understand and address these disparities.

SEARAC fights to protect access to affordable health care coverage and promotes culturally and linguistically appropriate health and mental health care to address health disparities for our Southeast Asian American immigrant and refugee communities. SEARAC also calls for the disaggregation of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community data to equip communities and policymakers with accurate and targeted data-driven interventions. Our health work focuses on building the advocacy capacity of community-based organizations to advocate for systemic changes to deliver the health services our community needs.

Southeast Asian American elders have some of the highest rates of limited English proficiency of any ethnic group, and are more likely to live in poverty. SEARAC supports community-based organizations across the country who serve and support our elders. We also collaborate with the Diverse Elders Coalition to uplift the needs of diverse elders of color, native elders, and LGBTQ+ elders.

 

National health and aging news: READ MORE

California health and aging news: Read more

 


Key Resources

General health

  • California Cancer Facts & Figures 2017
    American Cancer Society. Includes disaggregated data showing the top five most common cancers for multiple Asian American sub-groups, plus Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

aging

  • Diverse Elders Coalition’s Resources for Providers: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Family Caregivers Toolkit
    This toolkit offers topline information on what providers need to know, and key pieces from our comprehensive training curriculum, Caring For Those Who Care: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Family Caregivers. Whether you’ve already attended one or more of our trainings, or this is your first time looking into what’s available to help you support diverse family caregivers, we think you’ll find these resources to be invaluable in building a more welcoming, supportive practice. *The Caring For Those Who Care: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Family Caregivers Curriculum, as well as this toolkit, were created by the 6 members of the Diverse Elders Coalition, with generous funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation
  • Aging with Health and Dignity: Diverse Elders Speak Up
    In 2016, the Diverse Elders Coalition partnered with Caring Across Generations to collect nearly 5,000 comments from our communities about what we need to age with health and dignity. Comments were collected in six languages from all 50 states and provided a snapshot of the challenges of aging in communities of color, LGBT communities, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities.
  • Southeast Asian American Elders #TellACL
    Infographic describing the socioeconomic and linguistic characteristics of the older Southeast Asian American population, along with quotes collected during the Diverse Elders Coalition’s #TellACL campaign.
  • Securing Our Future: Advancing Economic Security for Diverse Elders
    This report from the Diverse Elders Coalition, authored by the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, describes the issues facing elders of color and LGBT elders, who together will represent a majority of older adults in the United States by 2050. The report also offers policy recommendations in several areas key to the well-being of older people, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, health care reform, and more.

Latest national health and aging news:

Health Insurance Open Enrollment Begins Nov 1

The 2024 Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare marketplace open enrollment period is here. SEARAC encourages uninsured individuals and those seeking ...
/ Health, National

SEARAC Condemns Ruling Striking Down Some ACA Preventative Services

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, a federal district court judge struck down a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that ...
/ Health, National, Press Room

ACA Open Enrollment Period Begins

The 2023 Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare marketplace open enrollment period is here. SEARAC encourages uninsured individuals and those seeking ...
/ Health, National

SEARAC, CPEHN, The Cambodian Family, and Partner Organizations Across California Celebrate Our Right to Heal

Last week, SEARAC joined our California-based advocacy and health services partners to host a virtual education and civic engagement event ...
/ Health, National, Press Room

SEARAC celebrates passage of Inflation Reduction Act

For Immediate Release: August 16, 2022 Media contact: Elaine Sanchez Wilson Director of Communications and Development 202-601-2970 elaine@searac.org WASHINGTON, DC ...
/ Health, National, Press Room

Latest CA health and aging news:

SEARAC Unites With California Partners to Celebrate Our Right to Heal

SACRAMENTO, CA – Last month, SEARAC joined our California-based advocacy and health services partners to host the third annual “The ...
/ California, Health

Join SEARAC in Sacramento for Third Annual Right to Heal Event on Sept. 19

The Right to Heal: Centering Mental Health Multi-Racial Equity in California is back for a third year! Join SEARAC and California ...
/ California, Health

Voices Unheard: Uncovering the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian American Youth

Written in collaboration with researchers from Illinois and Maryland whose work focuses on racially marginalized groups – such as Native ...

Lao Fresno Community Shares Mental Health Needs during Listening Session

Fresno, CA—Last month, SEARAC partnered with Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries (FIRM) and California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) for an in-person ...
/ California, Health, Press Room

Register for “Right To Heal: Centering Mental Health Multi-Racial Equity in California”

SEARAC is proud to be a co-host of the 2022 Right to Heal: Centering Mental Health Multi-Racial Equity in California ...
/ California, Health