Community, Mayo Clinic Team to Address Immigrant Health Needs

Infectious Diseases

Community, Mayo Clinic Team to Address Immigrant Health Needs

By
mayonewsreleases

January 6, 2012

In a joint effort, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Public Schools' Hawthorne Education Center, Winona State University and various community agencies are working together to identify opportunities to improve the health of immigrant and refugee families in Rochester.

group in circle holding hands

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a grant to Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP), a collaboration that includes community-based organizations, local health service organizations and academic institutions, to develop sustainable physical activity and nutrition interventions with and for immigrant and refugee families. The project is called, "Healthy Immigrant Families: Working Together To Move More and To Eat Well."

RHCP takes a community-centered research approach whereby community agencies, academics and researchers learn and work together to promote a balance between research and sustainable action. This approach equitably involves all partners in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each brings.

"It addresses health concerns brought up by the community and, in the process of community-academic collaboration, improves the health of the community," says Irene Sia, M.D. of Mayo Clinic's Division of Infectious Diseases, a lead researcher in the partnership.

The partnership began with Hawthorne Education Center and Mayo Clinic. Members now include the Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Latin Americans; Boys and Girls Club of Rochester; Cambodian Association of Rochester Minnesota; Church of St. John the Evangelist; First Cambodian Church of the Nazarene; Multicultural Learning Center; New Sudan American Hope; Olmsted Medical Center, Department of Research; Rochester Area Family YMCA; Rochester Community and Technical College; Rochester Public School ISD #535; Somali Community Resettlement Services; University of Minnesota Rochester; Vision Church; Watt Dhamma Visudhi Karam (The Cambodian Buddhist Temple); Winona State University and individuals from the community.

Through partnerships, RHCP brings together the community, researchers, and teachers to create a healthy, happy community.

Media Contact: Jennifer Schutz, 507-284-5005 (days), newsbureau@mayo.edu