A Call to Action for UC Merced Students and Merced ResidentsPresented By: Timothy ReonistoBiological Science Major in the University of California Merced

Who are the Hmong? Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand

Main language referred to as Chuanqiandian

Hmong celebration of New Year within Merced

Hmong Youth Cultural Group within Merced

Why Did They Move to America? Most migration was during the Vietnam War

To avoid communist Regime (and to fight it also)

After the war, Hmong persecutions were being held

High Demand for Both Healthcare and Medical Attention

Most Hmong are not able to afford or attain healthcare in order to minimize the cost of visiting the doctor

Health Problems Mainly started due to war-related illnesses and exposure to combat

-Sudden Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS)

-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

-Depression

Suffer from other illnesses:

-Hypertension, obesity, tuberculosis, and many forms of cancer

(Ling 2008; California Newsreel 2008)

Lack of Education “…there are subgroups of Asian Americans that are not performing well academically including the Hmong. The Hmong population has a lower higher education attainment than most Asian groups” (Xiong 2).

-Most Hmong college students are first-generation undergraduates

-Not able to get a job that would cover the price of healthcare

Communication Problems Most Hmong resided in regions focused on agriculture, nothing else.

Little to no written communication

Hardly no means for anyone to understand their language

How Can We as UC Merced Students and Merced County residents Help the Hmong Community?

How Can Helping the Hmong Community Essentially Help You?

Understand the Hmong culture, knowing that Merced’s population consists largely of Hmong individuals

Understanding what to look for (based on the Hmong) in order to be able to afford healthcare in the future

-Affordability

Hmong Student Association

Petitions Inform people about the Hmong community and their problems for affording healthcare and visits to medical facilities

Informing them that they can play a role in helping the Hmong community by signing the petition

-Petitions will be circulated both on campus, locally around Merced, and through social media such as Facebook

Presenting Petitions to the Right People

MATCH (Multidisciplinary Approach to Cross-Cultural Health)

-Minority led organization

-”Improve the quality of life, health and well-being” of people within Merced.

Merced Lao Family Community Incorporation, nonprofit organization that provides social services to Hmong people

Chong Yia Xiong“We need to address the health care problems, because these are real people that are impacted.” -Marilyn Mochel, executive director of healthy house Within a Match Coalition (MATCH organization)

Works Cited "Lack of Language and Insurance Access are Major Barriers to Health Care" - Sharon Stanely (FIRM). (n.d.). Southeast Asia Resource Action

Center (SEARAC). Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.searac.org/blog-post/lack-language-and-insurance-access-are-major-barriers-health-care-sharon-stanely-firm

Smalkoski, K. (2010, January 1). Health Disparities Research in the Hmong American Community: Implications for Practice and Policy. . Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://hmongstudies.org/SmalkoskietalHSJ13.2.pdf

Berger, A. (2011, May 1). Hmong Americans and Healthcare Inequalities and Solutions. . Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://hmongstudies.org/AureaAragonBergerSeniorThesis2011.pdf

Twin Cities Daily Planet. (2005, December 31). Twin Cities Daily Planet. Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2005/12/31/hmong-kids-lack-early-learning-help

Xiong, S. (2011, January 1). Hmong Students in Higher Education and Academic Support Programs. . Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://hmongstudies.org/XiongandLeeHSJ12.pdf

Merced Sun-Star. (2013, January 14). MERCED: Cultural Impact: Merced County's Hmong community among the nation's largest . Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/01/14/2755919/cultural-impact-merced-countys.html

Reiter, C. (2010, May 14). Merced Sun-Star. Addressing problems in Hmong health care. Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/05/14/1421948/addressing-problems-in-hmong-health.html