Keynote Speaker - Dr. Michael Spencer

Associate Professor Michael Spencer has published extensively in the area of health disparities and serves on the analysis team of the National Latino and Asian American Survey (NLAAS), the first national epidemiological survey of these populations, where his research focuses on the impact of discrimination on physical and mental health and service use. Dr. Spencer is also the Principal Investigator the REACH Detroit Partnership Family Intervention, a randomized control trial utilizing community health workers to promote healthy lifestyles among African American and Latino Detroit residents and the Family Development Project (FDP), a University of Michigan/Detroit Head Start partnership, which aims to improve the well-being of Detroit Head Start families.

Topic: Discrimination and Mental Health Service Use Among Asian Americans

Description: Recent research points to discrimination as a significant contributing factor for the health disparities observed among U.S. racial and ethnic groups. Increasingly, the negative effects of discrimination on the well being have been documented among Asian American. With regard to service utilization, discrimination impacts the trust and comfort that individuals have with formal institutions, such as mental health service institutions. This, in turn, affects help-seeking behaviors which can cause delays in utilization, which can exacerbate existing problems and increase risks for morbidity. This presentation uses the National Latino and Asian American Survey (NLAAS), the first national psychiatric epidemiological survey of these populations, and reports on the association between discrimination and both informal and formal service use among Asian Americans. Other factors such as generational status and language proficiency are explored and implications for research and practice are discussed.

Workshop Speakers/Presenters/Leaders

Presenter: Japan Society of Detroit (JSD) Women's Club
Topic: "Cha-no-yu," A Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony

JSD Women’s Club is a non-profit organization and has played a major role for the last 15 years in promoting friendly relations between the Japanese community and the neighborhood communities in Michigan through various cultural and educational activities.

JSD members often visit local schools, libraries, nursing homes, companies, and participate in various International festivals and cultural shows. We can show you how to do ORIGAMI (Japanese paper folding art) or SHODO (Japanese calligraphy), let you try on YUKATA (Japanese traditional summer costume), KIMONO (Japanese traditional costume), demonstrate CHA-NO-YU (tea ceremony) or IKEBANA (Japanese flower arrangement). We can also entertain you with NIHONBUYO (Japanese classical dance), HOGAKU (Japanese classical music), and Japanese songs.

Presenters: UM Asian Dental Students
Topic: Oral Health and You!

UM Asian Dental students (UMAD) was established as the Asian Dental Student Association (ADSA) in 2004 by dental student, Nancy Lam. We exist to address and support the needs of dental students of Asian descent, and to be a resource to the dental community in promoting cultural awareness and understanding. http://asian.dental.googlepages.com

Presenters: Michigan Asian Indian Family Services (MAI Family Services)
Michigan Asian Indian Family Services (MAI Family Services) MAI Family Services is a support system for the Asian Indian Community in MI. Specifically, it is a central resource of information, counseling and referrals for Asian Indians of all ages.

MAI Family Services can respond to and assist individuals who are battered (spouses, children, and parents); widowed/divorced individuals; those suffering from stress & depression; elderly citizens without caretakers; and individuals experiencing grief/loss. Other programs include referrals to language interpreters and translators. and providing moral support to international students.

The mission of the Michigan Asian Indian Family Services is to actively organize, coordinate and support community efforts to enhance the stability and well being of individuals and families of South Asian Indian origin. We will strive to provide to those facing family crisis situations through referral to confidential counseling, legal and medical assistance.
For more info, please check out www.maifs.org

Presenters: National Marrow Donor Program
HELP SAVE HANG NGUYEN AND OTHER PATIENTS LIKE HER. REGISTER TO BE A MARROW/STEM CELL DONOR.

Hang Nguyen is 33 years old, 2-kids, Vietnamese mother:
She was diagnosed with ALM in Sep 2007. She is receiving treatment at Sloan Kettering (New York), but has relapsed after just a few rounds of chemo. A blood-forming cell transplant is a treatment for Leukemia; Hang Nguyen and others like her may need to find a donor for a transplant.

There is a severe shortage of Asians and Pacific Islanders, African Americans, Chicanos/Latinos, Native Americans and Multi-Racial Individuals on the National Registry. A person is more than likely to find a donor of the SAME ETHNICITY and with a shortage of ethnic minorities on the database, many minority patients are not finding matching donors.

www.marrow.org
www.aadp.org

Presenters: Asian American Public Health Association (AAPHA)
Topic: Effects on Asian Health

The Asian American Public Health Association is a student-run organization at the University of Michigan School of Public Health with an interest in helping health professionals empower themselves by increasing visibility and awareness of Asian and Asian-American health issues, through community building, education, communication, and professional development. AAPHA encompasses any and all of those who are interested in East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Pacific Islander health issues.