Our Work
Here in the Center for Health Disparities Innovation and Studies (CHDIS), we are dedicated to producing sustainable solutions to improve health and reduce health disparities we’ve seen in the community. It is not an easy task; therefore, it is important to move beyond boundaries and use a more integrated and comprehensive approach.
Program Highlights
The CHDIS currently houses a Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) project funded by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). In 2018, Eastern Michigan University was one of 31 recipients in the nation, and the only one solely focused on the priority population of Asian Americans in Michigan.
In this five-year initiative, our team in CHDIS aims to reduce chronic disease burdens experienced by Asian Americans by working with our state-wide coalition to identify contributors of health disparities among Asian Americans and implement policy, system, and environment change strategies to improve nutrition, physical activity, and community-clinical linkages.
In nutrition domain, we’re working with food systems (for example, grocery stores, local food pantry) to increase healthy food offering.
In Physical activity domain, we’re using geography information system (known as GIS) to map factors influencing individual’s’ physical activity pattern and build Activity-Friendly Communities. In community clinical linkages we are connecting Asian Americans to appropriate and locally available health programs which they have not utilized before.
FLU & COVID Related Expand dropdownIn light of the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of flu, our resources are dedicated to providing essential healthcare information and keeping our communities well-informed. Through our various social media platforms, we actively disseminate accurate and up-to-date health messages related to both COVID-19 and flu. Our goal is to ensure that individuals have the knowledge required to stay safe and maintain their health in the face of these health concerns. Furthermore, our commitment extends to conducting extensive research on engagement strategies for COVID-19 and flu awareness, allowing us to develop effective methods for promoting community health and safety.
Related publications & posters:
- Health Awareness
- Influenza vaccination update during COVID-19 pandemic: A trusted messenger approach.
- Training community health navigators in the public health workforce to respond during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Development Of A Virtual Listening Sessions Toolkit
(abstract)
(poster)
(presentation)
- GIS
- COVID-19 Vaccination
- Using community engagement and Geographic Information Systems to address COVID-19 Vaccination Disparities.
- Perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine, racism, and social vulnerability: An examination among East Asian Americans, Southeast Asian Americans, South Asian Americans, and Others.
- Utilizing listening sessions to assess COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance among Asian Americans in Michigan.
- Associations of Racism and COVID-19 Vaccination Intention among Asian Americans and Other Ethnic Groups in the United States
- Food Access
- .Firearm-related Risks
- Student posters
- Health Awareness
Healthy Asian Americans Project (HAAP) Expand dropdownHAAP was established in 1996 with the mission to improve the overall health of Asian Americans and reduce health disparities with research, education, and promotion. Throughout the years, HAAP has received federal- and state grants as well as support from foundations that focus on eliminating health disparities among Asian Americans and Asians. HAAP’s coordinators serve seven Asian communities: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. The research in health disparities that HAAP has conducted has served as the evidence base for developing and implementing effective interventions for Asians and Asian Americans.
Healthy Aging Initiative Expand dropdownChildhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Expand dropdown