Dr. Grace Ma Strives to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Through CRCHD-Supported Partnership
, by CRCHD Staff
Grace X. Ma, Ph.D.
Asian American populations are underserved in health care and are disproportionately affected by diseases such as chronic hepatitis B, which dramatically increases the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, according to CRCHD grantee Grace X. Ma, Ph.D. These are just two of the factors that contribute to cancer health disparities among Asian Americans. The Center for Asian Health (CAH) at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine — led by Dr. Ma — works to reduce disparities among Asian Americans through research; community outreach and engagement; and education, training, and mentorship. Support from CRCHD’s Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (PACHE) program helps CAH make progress toward fulfilling its mission.
PACHE supports partnerships between institutions serving underserved health disparity populations and underrepresented students and NCI-designated Cancer Centers. Among these partnerships is the Synergistic Partnership for Enhancing Equity in Cancer Health (SPEECH), a collaboration between Temple University/Fox Chase Cancer Center and Hunter College. SPEECH aims to reduce cancer health disparities among underserved Black/African American, Asian American, and Hispanic American populations in the Pennsylvania–New Jersey–New York City (PNN) region. Working with SPEECH helps CAH implement creative new strategies to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes and quality of life for Asian American cancer patients. Through the partnership, CAH researchers actively engage local communities and provide career development opportunities for underrepresented early stage investigators, students, and trainees.
Dr. Ma, who serves as one of the partnership’s co-leaders, is the Founding Director of CAH and Associate Dean for Health Disparities and Laura H. Carnell Professor in Urban Health and Population Science at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. She has dedicated her career to finding ways to improve health care among ethnic and minority populations, particularly within the diverse ethnic Asian American communities and populations in the PNN region.
“Asian American communities and populations experience a wide range of different health disparities,” Dr. Ma says. “We must unpack them with disaggregated granular data that can guide us with meaningful policy recommendations and practices.”
We must unpack [health disparities] with disaggregated granular data that can guide us with meaningful policy recommendations and practices.
Partnerships have been a major part of Dr. Ma’s work with CAH, which she founded in 2000. Since then, Dr. Ma has built a network of local and regional community partners, including community leaders, churches, health care providers, and schools. By working with partners, CAH researchers have gained invaluable insight into health issues facing diverse ethnic Asian American communities and subpopulations.
For example, in the case of chronic hepatitis B, CAH researchers found that disease management in Asian American communities is linked to levels of disease knowledge and adherence to regular monitoring and treatment. According to Dr. Ma, many factors — particularly social factors, such as discrimination and racism — affect patient awareness of disease and access to the care necessary for disease management, as well as scientific understanding of health disparities in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) populations.
“Structural, systemic racism and discrimination not only have had negative impacts on the health and overall well-being of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations but also have led to critical gaps in health data, resources, and programs for AA and NHPI, especially among populations in disadvantaged communities,” Dr. Ma said.
Structural, systemic racism and discrimination ... have led to critical gaps in health data, resources, and programs for AA and NHPI, especially among populations in disadvantaged communities.
With strong support from local organizations and Dr. Ma’s energy and leadership, CAH has identified factors that affect Asian American health and overcome barriers in accessibility, language, and cultural beliefs to ensure that health education and health care delivery are culturally appropriate and tailored to each community’s needs. The Center’s efforts have helped to break down barriers related to discrimination in health care — a challenging goal that requires overcoming long-held perceptions.