Health Issues for the Hmong Population in the U.S.: Implications for Health Educators

摘要

The Hmong population in the US has grown since 1975. According to the 2000 US census, there are more than 160,000 Hmong living in the US. New waves of Hmong immigrants are re-settling in the US. Over 15,000 Hmong have come to the US from Thailand as refugees since summer 2004. California, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are the States with the highest Hmong populations in the US. Minneapolis, Fresno, and Sacramento are the metropolitan areas with the highest number of Hmong residents. Health issues such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B carrier status, asymptomatic splenomegaly, sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, injuries related to agricultural occupation, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lower immunization rates, and cancer, pose major challenges for health education practitioners. Genetics, problems with access to health services, and diet-related issues appear to be important contributors for morbidity and mortality in this population. Although the Hmong born outside the US account for less than 0.5% of the foreign population in the US, they are an important group from a health education perspective.