(Salt Lake City, UT) – Beginning Monday, November 10, the
UDOH Office of Health Disparities (OHD) will join local community groups and
sponsors in the state’s largest health initiative to address alarming health
problems among Utah’s Pacific Islanders. In response to some of Utah’s highest
rates of obesity, diabetes, and infant mortality, the Utah Pacific Islander
Coalition (UPIHC) has coordinated a series of health promotion events from Salt
Lake City to St. George.
At UPIHC’s request, Governor Gary Herbert has declared the
second week in November as Utah Pacific Islander Health Week, which has been
observed through events like health fairs, free fitness programs, CPR classes,
senior citizen luncheons, and community forums featuring Pacific Islander
health advocates like Sione and Filipe Fa, former contestants on television’s The
Biggest Loser
The Office of Health Disparities has collaborated with UPIHC
since 2011 and actively provides technical assistance to Pacific Islander
non-profit agencies like The Queen Center, National Tongan American Community,
and Hui Hawai’i o Utah Hawaiian Civic Club. Queen Center executive director
Joyce AhYou says holding Health Week in November is intentional. “It builds
momentum before the holiday feasting season begins, to encourage ourselves to
make healthier choices.” OHD director Dulce Díez praises the local Pacific
Islander community for their proactive approach to addressing their own health
issues – including infant mortality, diabetes, and obesity rates that were
reported in 2011 as being twice as high as the rest of the state.
UT PI Health Week kicks off on Monday, November 10 with the
Pacific Family Health Expo from 6:00-8:30 pm at the Sorenson Multicultural
Center at 855 W. 1300 S. in Salt Lake City. The Expo will feature a variety of
activity stations, fitness demonstrations, information booths, and free
services including health insurance enrollment help and screenings for cholesterol, visual acuity and glaucoma,
blood pressure, and diabetes. The Expo is free, including a light dinner, and
open to the public with activities for all ages.
The full schedule of Health Week events is available at
www.utahpacifichealth.org. The UPIHC can be reached for questions at
info@utahpacifichealth.org.
Utah Pacific Islander Health Week is the largest event of
its kind in the Intermountain region, drawing over 1,100 attendees in 2013.
According to Kava Talks founder, Susi Feltch-Malohifo‘ou, “This year’s Health
Week is going to be bigger and better than previous years and this kind of
growth and increased interest and investment in our community health is exactly
what we want to see.”
The 3rd Annual Utah Pacific Islander Health Week is made
possible through the support of UPIHC member organizations, SelectHealth,
Molina Healthcare, The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH), Health Choice
Utah, and the UDOH Office of Health Disparities.
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Media Contact:
Jacob Fitisemanu, Jr.
Outreach Coordinator
801-259-8700
