The HAAPIE Curriculum
The inaugural curriculum on advancing the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander communities.
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A Primer to Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
Required Pre-Work
Required: "The problem with race-based medicine" Video Activity
Recommended and Supplemental Materials
Introduction to the Local Spotlight: The Hmong
Case Study: Ms. Lee Lor
Required questions: Local Spotlight-The Hmong
Required: Invisible Identities: Educating Health Care Providers on Hmong LGBTQ Experiences
Required: Invisible Identities Interactive Video Activity
Recommended and Supplemental Resources
Case Study: Mr. Alex Truong
Example Health Literate Medication List
Required questions: Cancer
Recommended and Supplemental Materials
Introduction to Diabetes Among AANHPIs
Case Study: Mrs. Paw Reh
Required questions: Diabetes
Recommended and Supplemental Materials
Introduction to Mental Health Among AANHPIs
Case Study: Mr. Nahoa Kanahele
Required questions: Mental Health
Recommended and Supplemental Materials
Introduction to Cardiovascular Disease Among AANHPIs
Case Study: Mrs. Anita Heer
Required questions: Cardiovascular Diseases
Recommended and Supplemental Materials
Defining common terminology used throughout our course.
API (Asians and Pacific Islanders)/AANHPI (Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and
Pacific Islanders): Terminology referencing Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
residing in the United States have historically been complex and are continually evolving to
best reflect the vast diversity of this population. Traditionally, either AAPI (Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders) or API are commonly used. In our initiative, HAAPIE, we will use API to
specifically also include individuals from diasporas who do not/not yet identify as American,
as well as individuals of undocumented and refugee statuses. However, we further
recognize that Native Hawaiians may be unique from other Asian and Pacific Islander
diasporas. Therefore, throughout the curriculum, we will be referring to these populations
collectively as AANHPI, aligning with the adoption of this terminology in recent times.
Health Disparity: “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social,
economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of
people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their
racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive,
sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or
other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion.
Health Equity: “attainment of the highest level of health for all people. Achieving health
equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to
address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination
of health and health care disparities.”
Social Determinants of Health: “Conditions in the environments in which people are born, live,
learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and qualityof-
life outcomes and risks.”
Cultural Competence: Cultural and linguistic competence is a set of congruent behaviors,
attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that
enables effective work in cross-cultural situations. 'Culture' refers to integrated patterns of
human behavior that include the language, thoughts, communications, actions, customs,
beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups. 'Competence' implies
having the capacity to function effectively as an individual and an organization within the
context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs presented by consumers and their
communities. (Adapted from Cross, 1989).
Cultural Humility: “a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and critique, to redressing power
imbalances . . . and to developing mutually beneficial and non-paternalistic partnerships with
communities on behalf of individuals and defined populations” (Tervalen and Marray-Garcia,
1998)
Intersectionality: “theoretical framework for understanding how aspects of a person's social
and political identities (e.g., gender, sex, race, class, sexuality, religion, disability, physical
appearance, height, etc.) combines to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege.”
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