CSUF and UCI-CFCCC Partnership for Cancer Health Disparities Research (1 of 2)

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Climate change is a growing public health priority and is considered a stress multiplier, placing pressures on vulnerable populations, regions, and systems. Soaring temperatures and wildfires are increasing in the western U.S. and the consequences are particularly dire in vulnerable groups including ethnic/racial communities and those of low socioeconomic status, the elderly, those who are socially isolated, and those with certain physical or mental health conditions. Approximately 23 million Americans are of self-reported Asian ancestry, and Asian American and Native Hawaiiian and Pacific Islander (AsA-NHPI) populations are the fastest growing subpopulation in the U.S. The AsA-NHPI populations are highly diverse in their disease risk profiles, such as prevalence of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and major contributors to morbidity and mortality. They also experience disparities in multiple health outcomes, including lifetime cancer diagnosis, cigarette smoking, cancer screening behaviors, and healthy diet. These disparities are often hidden, because AsA-NHPI are frequently aggregated in large population-based epidemiological studies in the U.S., despite the genetic and ethnic diversity of AsA-NHPI populations. Furthermore, AsA-NHPI subpopulations (e.g. Cambodians, Vietnamese) experience high rates of poverty and low levels of education or have a high percentage of immigrants, which may increase vulnerability to climate change impacts. A substantial proportion of AsA-NHPI populations are also immigrants, which may impact people’s individual and neighborhood exposure to climate change exposure. Little is known about the exposure levels, health impacts, and coping capacity of the AsA-NHPI subpopulation for the climate change related exposures such as extreme heat and wildfires. This study examines the exposures to major climate change related stressors, potential health impacts, and community concerns and needs among AsA-NHPI populations in California’s Los Angeles and Orange counties. Using multi-methods, the aims include 1) characterizing exposure to extreme temperature and wildfire smoke over 19 years, 2) determining how exposures to heat and wildfire smoke contribute to cancer-related health outcomes, and 3) understanding the perceptions, concerns, and needs of AsA-NHPI subethnic groups to climate change and adaption. Results from this study will inform future R01 proposals that include adaptation testing to address community concerns and mitigate exposures to maximize cancer health equity.