Action for Health Justice (AHJ) is pleased to announce that its Health Insurance Enrollment Glossary, a glossary of commonly used health care terms, is now available at no cost and in more Asian and Pacific Islander languages!

With the third Open Enrollment Period underway, AHJ partners across the country are working to provide assistance to those who need help navigating the health insurance enrollment process, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AAs and NHPIs)—a community where one in three have difficulty speaking, writing, or reading English.

In order to increase the effectiveness of in-person, in-language health care enrollment assistance, AHJ worked with certified outreach and enrollment assistors, and other community partners to develop its Glossary. Last year, AHJ released its Glossary in Chinese (Traditional), Korean and Vietnamese. It was the first step in an effort to respond to a lack of reference tools for those working to get health care coverage for this community.

The AHJ Glossary contains approximately 100 of the most frequently used (and often confused) terms encountered by in-person assisters and navigators. Many AHJ partners including navigators, Certified Application Counselors (CACs), Community Based Oragnizations (CBOs), and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) identified common terms in the Glossary and took part in its translation and review process.

With the success of its Glossary, AHJ is pleased to make it available in the following languages: Laotian, Marshallese, Tagalog and Tongan—and will release additional languages in the coming weeks. It is AHJ’s hope that its Glossary will be a helpful tool in ensuring more AA and NHPI communities understand the Marketplace and get covered this Open Enrollment Period.

Request your free copy of AHJ’s Glossary here.

AHJ is the only national coalition working to reach and enroll AAs and NHPIs through one-on-one in-person assistance in more than 50 Asian and Pacific Islander languages. The Glossary is a resource to help assisters provide accurate translations and help more people get covered.

We look forward to working with our partners and hope this resource will continue to benefit in-language efforts to reach and enroll AAs and NHPIs in health insurance. If you have any questions regarding the AHJ Glossary, please email ahj-glossary@aapcho.org.

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DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR

DIRECTOR

                              

Nov. 9, 2015                                                                                      15-053

CAPTAIN COOK, HI – The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) today launched “Fight the Bite,” a statewide public education campaign that seeks to end the spread of dengue fever in Hawaii. The campaign, which launched at a press conference held in partnership with the County of Hawaii at Yano Hall in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii Island, will inform the public about dengue fever and encourage their participation in preventing the spread of the illness in Hawaii.

“The health and safety of our community and visitors is paramount, and the Department of Health is working collaboratively with all of our partners – including fellow state agencies, the Counties, healthcare providers, business leaders, nonprofit service providers and more – to address this important situation and end the spread of dengue fever in Hawaii as quickly as possible,” said Virginia Pressler, M.D., director of the Hawaii State Department of Health. “In order to keep Hawaii safe and dengue-free, we are asking the community for their help in following the easy tips and suggestions shared through our campaign and joining us as together we Fight the Bite!”

The “Fight the Bite” campaign will roll out this week through a variety of interactive marketing strategies, including the DOH website, earned media, advertising in local print publications and radio outlets, marketing collateral, engagement through multiple digital platforms such asFacebook and Twitter, and outreach at the local level.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi announced a series of public information meetings that will offer the community an opportunity to learn more about the “Fight the Bite” campaign and engage with county and state officials. The first meeting will be held today at 6 p.m. at Yano Hall.

“The County of Hawaii has been working closely with the State Department of Health to respond quickly and efficiently to the cases of dengue fever in Hawaii and we are dedicated to minimizing its impacts on Hawaii Island and the state,” said Mayor Billy Kenoi. “We encourage the public to take part in the “Fight the Bite” campaign and to start doing so by joining us at our community meetings, which will provide opportunities to ask questions and learn more about this important initiative.”

Taking part in the “Fight the Bite” campaign is easy. The DOH recommends applying mosquito repellent containing 20 to 30 percent DEET, wearing long sleeved shirts and pants, using indoor insecticides, and reducing the amount of mosquitoes on your property by clearing areas with standing water.

Dengue fever is spread through mosquito contact – mosquitoes carrying the illness from an infected individual can spread it from one individual to another through mosquito bites. Travelers to areas with infected mosquitoes where dengue fever is endemic are at the highest risk of acquiring the disease. Symptoms of dengue fever typically begin within a week after a bite from an infected mosquito and may include fever, joint or muscle pains, headache or pain behind the eyes, and rash.

DOH confirmed today a total of 27 cases of locally transmitted dengue fever on Hawaii Island. All of the patients have recovered or are recovering.

For more information on “Fight the Bite,” visit http://health.hawaii.gov.

Yano Hall

82-6156 Mamalahoa Hwy., Capt. Cook, HI

Naalehu Community Center

95-5635 Mamalahoa Hwy., Naalehu, HI

Konawaena High School Cafeteria

81-1043 Konawaena School Rd., Kealakekua, HI

Honokaa High School Cafeteria

45-527 Pakalana St, Honokaa, HI

Hilo High School Cafeteria

556 Waianuenue Ave, Hilo, HI

Keaau High School Cafeteria

16-725 Keaau-Pahoa Rd, Keaau, HI