March 25, 2011 > Health assessment of Vietnamese community Health assessment of Vietnamese community Results will be used to recommend policies and programs to address health needs in this growing population Submitted By Steven Blomquist The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Supervisor Dave Cortese's request to complete a Health Assessment for the Vietnamese American Community in Santa Clara County. A part of Supervisor Cortese's State of the County Address, this Health Assessment will be the first in a series completed for the county's various under-served populations. "Santa Clara County has one of the largest Vietnamese communities outside Vietnam. Yet it is under-served," said Cortese, President of the Board of Supervisors. "The County needs to understand the precise needs of specific populations so we can better allocate the scarce public health funds." These health assessments will be completed to understand the cultural values that affect health, wellness and the nutritional state of the community, barriers that community members face when attempting to access health and wellness services, and any specific needs or other disparities that exist that might affect the community's well-being. Some of the already-known disparities to be analyzed further are higher tobacco use, increased rates of cancer and fewer residents who are covered by health insurance. The County will partner on this health assessment with the Vietnamese Reach for Health Coalition, which is a cross section of health care professionals who serve the Vietnamese population. Membership in this organization includes: physicians from Valley Medical Center, Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, Kaiser Permanente and Community Health Partnerships. For more information, contact Steven Blomquist at (408) 299-5030.