The Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America (CHPAA), in partnership with the American University of Health Sciences (AUHS), held it’s second Health In the Park (HIP) event on Saturday, August 30th at MacArthur Park, in Long Beach, California. The event was free to attend and open to community members of all ages.
The goal of HIP is to promote and advance the health and wellness of the Signal Hill and Long Beach communities in alignment with the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), thus making Long Beach a healthier and safer place to live.
HIP offered free health screenings, health education, prevention awareness, wellness promotion, the latest information about treatments and access to health care with enrollment in health insurance and other programs, referrals to community resources including yoga and meditation, and most importantly, in-person health chats with doctors and other health professionals. There was also entertainment for the children in attendance.
HIP aims to target the disadvantaged populations — including a large Cambodian-American population. It is widely recognized that the Cambodian-American population has suffered a disproportionately high rate of myriad diseases like Hepatitis B and C, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and mental illness — notably PTSD, a consequence of the traumatic experiences associated with the Khmer Rouge genocide.
HIP stands apart from the conventional Health Fair format because it is a bimonthly recurring event, to be held the last Saturday of every other month. The leadership provided by AUHS and CHPAA is also significant, as the organization is comprised of physicians and other health professionals.
The event was a success with many people coming out to have free health screenings, obtain health education and have some fun!
