Sahna Report Release Event

HOUSTON: The Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center completed a comprehensive health survey of Asian Indians living in the Houston Metropolitan Area. Asian Indians are the second largest Asian American population in Texas, increasing by 90 percent from 2000 to 2010 (from 129,365 to 245,981), and the second largest in the Houston area (the three largest Asian groups in the Houston area are Vietnamese, Asian Indian, and Chinese. The results of the South Asian Health Needs Assessment (SAHNA) survey, administered to over 1500 Asian Indians at community settings and events from August 2013 to July 2014, provides self- reported data on:

Demographic information including age, marital status, education, income, employment, country of origin, and length of time in the U.S.

Health status, including weight, height and chronic disease.

Health behaviors, including diet, physical activity, food preferences, tobacco and alcohol use, and dental health.

Health care access, including health insurance status, barriers to health care, use of alternative medicine, cancer screenings and immunizations.

Cancer knowledge and beliefs, and needs of cancer survivors and their caregivers.

Participants in the SAHNA survey included Asian Indian adults 18 years or older, living in Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria or Galveston counties. Participants had to be able to read and  understand English or Hindi.  To enhance the generalizability of the study, only one member per household was allowed to participate. The survey was administered at more than 25 locations and at various community events and it took approximately two years for the IACAN Board members and volunteers of both IACAN and MDA to complete the survey.

The South Asian Health Needs Assessment Report will be released on Sunday, February 22, 2015 at an event at the India House, 8888 West Bellfort Avenue, Houston, TX  77031 from 3-5 pm.  The Honorable Consul General of India, Mr. Parvathaneni Harish will be present to congratulate IACAN and MD Anderson on the research which will help the community, health professionals and public health researchers develop programs to improve the health of the Asian Indian community.  Mala Pande, Ph.D., M.P.H. assistant professor Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at MDAnderson and principal investigator on the study, and Beverly Gor, collaborator will share additional findings.  Kanchan Kabad, President and Board Chair of IACAN, welcomes the community to this special event.

For more information or to RSVP, please call the Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN) at (713) 370-3489 or email iacannetwork@gmail.com.