Results from a community health needs survey (Sept 2022-Feb 2023)
The MinKwon Center for Community Action was founded in 1984 and provides in-language civil legal services, including public benefits and healthcare enrollment and immigration legal services, to predominantly low-income, limitedEnglish-proficient, and undocumented communities in Flushing, New York.
1. Improve and inform planning of public health and preventative health programs at MinKwon Center (e.g., health education seminars, navigators program, health services events);
2. Educate healthcare stakeholders about community needs;
3. Effectively advocate for immigrant health policy reform. The availability and quality of disaggregated racial/ethnic data have hindered the understanding of immigrant health.
• Survey period: Sept 15, 2022 - Feb 15, 2023
• Community sample of participants who were:
o Asian American;
o 18 years and older; and
o Lived in New York City.
• Participant recruitment: client appointments, community events, and Kakaotalk.
Participants were mostly female, older than 50, and lived in Queens.
4 out of 5 participants were limited English proficient.
More than half of participants were retired or worked part-time.
1 out of 5 participants were unemployed, unable to work or stayed at home.
About 1 in 10 participants were uninsured.
Almost one-third of participants were green card holders and 13% were undocumented.
More than half of participants were living in poverty (under $1000/month) and had a high school degree or lower.
In the past 12 months, was there a time when you needed to access a health service but was unable to get it?
Lack of health insurance or insurance problems (48)
26% YES
In the past 12 months, was there a time when you needed mental health counseling but were unable to get it? 9% YES
I couldn't afford to pay my co-pay or deductible (20)
Language barriers (20)
Too long to wait for an appointment (16)
The doctor or clinic refused to take my insurance (14)
I didn't know how to find a doctor (7)
Fear of discrimination (4)
Transportation issues (3)
Lack of health insurance or insurance problems (22)
Too long to wait for an appointment (16)
I didn't know how to find a counselor (7)
Language barriers (15)
Discomfort/Uneasiness (7)
Fear of discrimination (5)
Transportation issues (2)
3 out of 4 participants accessed health information on the internet, YouTube, social media, or messaging apps.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about community concerns, health problems or services in the community?
n= 74 comments received
(n=13) 18%
Please expand Korean services!
I hope to attend more activities, have more conversation with people, and want to learn English.
I couldn't get insurance because I didn't know the information, and even more-so because I couldn't speak English, I was afraid. I would like to get eye check-up or mental counseling, but when I told them, they said they were fully booked so I couldn't make an appointment.
Minkwon Center (n=10)
I always feel grateful for Minkwon Center.
[…] I hope that the mission of the Minkwon Center will be promoted further and that it will help others as well.
I wish Minkwon Center would open more often and earlier. I wish phone connections were faster.
I wish there was an organization for people with mental disorders, anger disorders, and those who are mentally unwell that see or hear illusions.
(n=7) 9% I really need someone to talk to about language barriers, health, and faith
Senior
There are a lot of seniors. I hope for more development of senior apartments and senior service centers.
As an undocumented person, I cannot use the hospital and so my illness becomes worse.
Housing (n=5) 7%
More apartments for low-income people should be built.
(n=3) 4%
I wish there was a small Minkwon Center in Staten Island.
All the systems are difficult for people living in Bronx.
1. Major challenges: Health insurance or insurance problems, co-pay and deductible costs, and language access
2. Importance of disaggregated racial/ethnic data collection, survey administration in languages other than English
3. Role of community-based organizations (CBOs) to appropriately evaluate and respond to community health needs - CBO’s like MinKwon are trusted community leaders who can increase community linkages to care
4. Language- and culturally-competent staff in communitybased organizations play a critical role in addressing the health inequities that exist in the Asian American immigrant communities
• Consider availability responses when scheduling community events (i.e. Friday afternoons)
Improve Minkwon services
• Host health info seminars on top 10 topics of interest
• Increase health outreach to reduce uninsured
Inform stakeholders and funders
• Increase support for in-language health insurance navigator programs
• Increase disaggregated data of Asian American health needs
Advocate for policy reform
• Support policies/campaigns
• Language access
• Coverage4all
• Data disaggregation law
Hanna Jo, MA
Health Policy and Programs Coordinator
MinKwon Center for Community Action
hanna.jo@minkwon.org
Lan N. Ðoàn, PhD, MPH
Department of Population Health, Section for Health Equity
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Lan.Doan@nyulangone.org
Acknowledgements:
• Minkwon staff, interns & volunteers
• Consultations and advice from Maia Dillane (AAFSC), Jennifer So (Columbia), Steven Wu (Woori Juntos)
• Community partners that supported survey administration
• Supported in part by National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health Award U54MD000538; NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA) 5K07AG068186
Links and Resources:
• NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health
• CSAAH Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Web Hub (health education resources and data)