What Are You Doing? With Dr. Sunmin Lee

Welcome again to our running feature "What are you doing?" which allows us to look into the research of one of our distinguished faculty.

Dr. Sunmin Lee, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, recently conducted a groundbreaking study into the health challenges (including diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and mental health) facing Asian-Americans in Montgomery County, Md.

So groundbreaking, in fact, that she has been asked to present her findings at an NIH Summit entitled "The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities” on December 16. For more information about the summit, including a schedule, visit the official site.

Here's an overview of her research:

The Asian-American population around Washington, D.C. is growing much faster than the national average, yet public health researchers knew very little about the health needs of this diverse community, particularly about under-represented populations.

In order to learn more about this community and help local organizations better meet their needs, Dr. Lee conducted a Health Needs Assessment in Montgomery County. She utilized in-depth interviews and focus groups to gather information, and incorporated 13 separate Asian American groups, including many of those (Burmese, Indonesian, Nepali, Pakistani, and Thai) that are often excluded in studies.

This Health Needs Assessment was one of the first studies to provide in-depth data into Asian Americans living in Montgomery County, a major suburb of Washington, D.C. Its inclusion of a wide diversity of Asian American groups and health problems also broke new ground in helping to understand the needs of these communities.

The study found that diabetes and hypertension were the most important health concerns in all 13 Asian American communities. Many participants reported that their diet became worse and they became less physically active after immigrating, and these changes may be related to increases in diabetes and/or hypertension in their communities. Parents thought their children who adopted American lifestyle earlier may be at higher risk for these problems.

Mental health was also a concern among participants, impacting young and old alike in 12 of the 13 communities in the study. Many seniors showed depressive symptoms because of isolation due to difficulty in language and mobility. In turn, many 1.5 generation Asian Americans (who were brought at a young age to America) reported trouble balancing between two cultures (Asian culture at home and American culture elsewhere) and faced discrimination at school.

Participants also discussed significant barriers to receiving the care they needed, including lack of insurance, language barriers, and ignorance to preventive health measures like mammograms and prostate exams. Underrepresented communities reported unique additional barriers, such as lack of screening opportunities and interpretation services in their native language.

In creating the Health Needs Assessment, Dr. Lee collaborated with the Asian American Health Initiative at the Montgomery County Department of Health and Humans Services. Founded in 2005, the initiative uses the data in the study to improve the quality of health services for Asian Americans in Montgomery County. For more information, visit their Web site.

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Thanks to Dr. Sunmin Lee for her time in putting this article together. For more about her research, visit her Web site here.