By Dominique Fong

Photo: CeeKay, Flickr

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, by 2030, the number of Californians living with the disease will double to more than 1 million people.

For Asians, this number will triple to nearly 200,000.

The main reason? Simply because more Asians are living longer, according to Aaron Hagedorn, a USC professor of gerontology. The more milestone birthdays you celebrate, the higher the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Nearly half of people over age 85 have Alzheimer’s according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Experts attribute the alarming disparity to other factors such as a tendency toward health risks, a high-salt diet, genetic differences and environmental dangers. These are shaky conjectures at best, as researchers warn against making premature conclusions.

“Usually it’s yes or no, but in this case we just don’t know,” said Susan Howland, director of education at the Southland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

While researchers continue to study possible causes, most can agree that the origin of Alzheimer’s disease is likely a combination of reasons.

Even this projection is an underestimate. Entrenched cultural stigmas shame people who are perceived to have a mental illness or disease. Many Asian families delay seeking help, often waiting as far as eight to nine years after symptoms of Alzheimer’s first appear.

“There’s a low diagnosis rate because of language barriers, low literacy rates and lack of health insurance,” said Kami Holman, manager of Asian and Pacific Islander services and education at the Southland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

By Andrea Chin

By 2024, the health care costs of chronic liver disease triggered by hepatitis B and hepatitis C are projected to increase to $85 billion. Asian American, African American and Latino communities will shoulder the brunt of these costs. Recognizing the seriousness of hepatitis, policymakers are taking action to help individuals prevent and treat these diseases.

Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009. The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to establish, promote, and support a comprehensive prevention, research and medical management referral program for chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C virus infection. As of the writing of this article, the bill has enlisted critical bipartisan support and has been sent to the House committee for review.

In the meantime, public health campaigns like Hep B Free in San Francisco are getting the word out with the goal of screening everyone in the city for the disease. Because of its high APA population, San Francisco has the highest liver cancer rate in the nation. APAs are especially at risk because they have the highest rates of liver cancer of any racial or ethnic group. Without treatment or monitoring, a quarter of these individuals will die from liver cancer or liver failure.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) praised Hep B Free as a model for the nation and emphasized the importance of reforming health care to not discriminate against individuals with pre-existing conditions such as hepatitis B. The Hep B campaign has partnered with more than 50 public and private health care organizations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as the San Francisco Giants to spread awareness. The organization also created seven free and low-cost public clinics to screen and vaccinate for hepatitis B.

“Six FDA-approved treatments for hepatitis B help minimize the risks of liver damage, but these treatments are underutilized,” said Dr. Steven-Huy Han, director of the UCLA Asian Liver Center. “We need to get the word out.”

People contract hepatitis B from contact with blood or body fluids containing blood. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are contagious, blood-borne viruses that lead to liver disease, liver cancer, and premature death due to liver failure. Hepatitis B and C are often asymptomatic, making it difficult to detect. Symptoms in later stages of the disease include jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. Chronic hepatitis B is treatable when detected early and properly managed, though preventative vaccines are also effective.