Health

September 16, 2023 0

Alarming Consequences for Asian Americans About High Exposure to “Forever” Chemicals

A shocking article published in August’s Environmental Science & Technology by the American Chemical Society showed that Asian Americans have disproportionately high exposure to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The primary author, Dr. Shelly Liu who is an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, additionally noted that when compared to whites, Asian Americans had a median PFAS level that was 88% higher. To fully understand the consequences of these findings, it is important to note the significant […]

September 2, 2023 0

Tufts Medical Center and Transformative Organizations Shaping Boston Communities

by Jerrett Jones

Last summer, Tufts Medical Center conducted a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), revealing three essential health priorities: behavioral health, financial security and mobility, and access to care and services. In response, a coalition of 20 organizations, carefully selected through an RFP process, emerged with a collective goal of driving positive change across Boston’s diverse neighborhoods. “In the wake of the CHNA, we strategically harnessed the findings to address pressing health needs through targeted interventions,” states Sherry Dong, Executive Director […]

August 4, 2023 0

Living Your Best Life: It Takes a Village

by Jeff Millman

A five-minute walk from the historic On Leong Chinese Merchants Association building in Chinatown brings you to the Biewend building on Tremont Street. Dr. Wei Wang, a geriatrician and primary care physician, sees elderly patients here at Tufts Medicine’s primary care offices. He told Sampan that many elderly people living in Chinatown deal with chronic medical conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. This is true of older adults more generally. In the United States, nearly 95% of […]

June 24, 2023 0

Health Connector Partners With El Mundo to Kick Off Health Coverage Enrollment Campaign in Fenway Park

by guest

BOSTON, MA — Sunday, June 11, 2023 – The Massachusetts Health Connector partnered with El Mundo Boston for “Tu Salud” Health and Wellness Fair at Fenway Park on June 11, partnering with local Navigator organizations to provide on-site, multilingual enrollment assistance. “Tu Salud” is a free, first-of-its-kind Latino Fair and Wellness Fair catered to Latino families in Greater Boston that provided a unique opportunity for the Latino community to connect with health care providers, services and health care coverage information. […]

June 9, 2023 0

In Memory of Former South Cove Community Health Center Director Eugene Welch

by Aili Liu

Editor’s Note: Eugene Welch, CEO/Executive Director of South Cove Community Health Center for 23 years until his 2022 retirement, passed away Monday May 29 at the age of 78. Sampan is re-printing our October 2022 Eugene Welch profile/interview. We asked Eric Tiberi, SCCHC’s new CEO/Executive Director, for a few words about Mr. Welch’s legacy and the future of the Center going forward. Eugene Welch was a mentor, friend, and supporter to all of us at South Cove Community Health Center. He had an […]

May 27, 2023 0

When Autism Gets Lost in Translation

by Sonia Cavazos

Learning that your child is on the autism spectrum is often like being dropped into a big black hole. There is no clear test for autism — no X-ray or scan — and much is left to interpretation. The signs are often vague, especially in young children, who might learn to talk or pick up social skills younger or later than their peers. Just getting the right specialists to see your child can take many months. For children of immigrant […]

April 21, 2023 0

Narcan Approved for Over the Counter Sales: Ending the National Overdose Crisis?

by Aili Liu

“I will say that I have done many things I am proud of as a doctor, but one of the things that I am proudest of is just happening to be a person carrying Narcan when another person is literally dying on the sidewalk. I was able to give them Narcan, they survived it, and came back to life. It was not because I was a doctor, but because I was carrying Narcan.” Dr Joe Wright, Boston Healthcare for the […]

April 8, 2023 0

Dr. Ritu Raman: Immigrant at the Forefront of Building Machines with Biology

by Kristen Si

Dr. Ritu Raman is passionate about promoting the diversification of STEM fields. As an immigrant from India who earned her citizenship half a decade ago, Dr. Raman embodies the essence of what it means to truly embrace the power of possibility. Her story is textbook immigrant success: “You come to the United States and dream of anything you want.” For Dr. Raman, this included writing children’s novels, becoming the captain of the Indian national cricket team, and joining the priesthood. […]

April 7, 2023 0

Autism Rates Climb, Especially Among Black, Hispanic Populations, Says CDC

by Aili Liu

Autism Spectrum Disorder is for the first time more frequently diagnosed in Black and Hispanic children than in White children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the numbers may reveal better screening of those populations — and not necessarily a higher risk for the disorder, which can affect communication abilities, social skills and other areas of development. In the CDC’s report Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which studied 11 states across the U.S., […]

April 7, 2023 0

Combatting a Global Killer: What’s Next in the Fight Against Tuberculosis

by Bolin Shen

Tuberculosis (TB) has been responsible for killing more people than any other infectious disease throughout history. In the early 20th century and before the discovery of antibiotics, TB was essentially a death sentence with incredibly high mortality rates. Patients were quarantined in sanatoriums, where they were given fresh air, sunshine, and rest, but few survived. In 2021, 151 cases of TB were reported to, and verified by, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and in 2022, 153 cases were confirmed. […]

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