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Q&A
Council Member Zhuang inquires about Asian representation in health data and lung cancer screening
0:48:28
ยท
3 min
Council Member Susan Zhuang questions DOHMH officials about the representation of Asian Americans in health data, particularly regarding life expectancy and lung cancer rates. The officials provide information on current data and discuss efforts to improve screening and resource allocation for the Asian American community, especially in Zhuang's district.
- Asian Americans have the highest life expectancy in NYC at 86 years
- DOHMH is working on increasing access to CT scan screening for lung cancer
- Council Member Zhuang emphasizes the need for more resources and language-appropriate services in her district, which has a large Chinese American population
Susan Zhuang
0:48:28
Thank you, chair.
0:48:28
I do see the source from House NYC.
0:48:33
It's showing the data saying the Asian and Pacific Islander of New York is very low.
0:48:40
I don't understand why it's very low because 18% of New Yorkers are Asians.
Gretchen Van Wye
0:48:49
Hi.
0:48:49
I'm not sure what part of the report you're referring to.
Susan Zhuang
0:48:52
There's, there's a chart over here.
Mercedes Narcisse
0:48:55
Oh, okay.
Elaine Perlman
0:48:55
Oh, the original
Susan Zhuang
0:48:56
They're they're showing Latino, white, and black, which is good, but why Asian is missing?
Gretchen Van Wye
0:49:02
Thank you for for mentioning for bringing this up.
0:49:05
In the, most recent data that we've prepared, we were able to calculate life expectancy for the Asian population.
0:49:12
And so that is a change we've been able to make going forward.
Susan Zhuang
0:49:16
Okay.
0:49:16
So what's the data now?
0:49:18
Like, what's the life expect days?
Gretchen Van Wye
0:49:20
The life expectancy among Asians in New York City is the highest.
0:49:23
It's 86 years.
Susan Zhuang
0:49:25
Okay.
0:49:26
Okay.
0:49:26
And also, recently, I see on a news saying, a new study point out that among Asian groups in United States, Chinese Americans have the highest lung cancer death rate.
0:49:39
Probably around 2,300 people died from lung cancer in New York City each year, and about 4,400 people are newly diagnosed with lung cancer.
0:49:53
Did you guys do any study about any lung cancer?
Michelle Morse
0:49:57
We'd be happy to share some more of that specific data with you in follow-up.
0:50:02
We have been looking specifically at screenable cancers as part of the healthy NYC goal.
0:50:08
Lung cancer is one of those screenable cancers.
0:50:11
And so part of our effort has really been to increase access to CT scan screening for lung cancer and to make sure that we're doing so in a way, again, that is is equitable.
0:50:22
What we have seen so far to my knowledge is that the rate of lung cancer deaths is the highest for men and is the highest for black people in New York City, but we would be happy to follow-up with you, to understand a little bit better, perhaps in your district, what the access to lung cancer screening is and if there are any additional efforts that we could do to make sure that education around access to lung cancer screening, is supported as well.
Susan Zhuang
0:50:47
Thank you, commissioner.
0:50:48
And I'm very happy you said, you guys are doing data analysis by district, by areas.
0:50:54
I do think my area don't get enough resources about screening program.
0:51:00
It's very hard for the community, especially immigrant community, doesn't speak the language, doesn't have the resource, doesn't know where to go to find help.
0:51:10
So I will I hope you guys can put more resources in our neighborhood.
0:51:15
We have the largest probably, my district has the largest Chinese American.
0:51:22
Even Queens has the largest Asian, but my district has the largest Chinese American population.
0:51:28
And very often, they don't get a resource, and then 70% of them probably doesn't speak any English.
Michelle Morse
0:51:37
Thank you so much, council member.
0:51:39
Yes.
0:51:39
We we do have, resources on, qualifying for lung cancer screening in multiple languages, and we have, several different resources in that realm that we could share with you and follow-up, and we'd be happy to talk more about how we can partner on those efforts for prevention.
Susan Zhuang
0:51:54
Thank you.
0:51:55
And I will follow-up with you also.
0:51:57
Thank you.
Lynn Schulman
0:51:59
K.
0:51:59
Thank you.
0:52:00
Council member Nyces.