St. Paul to host first Somali health summit to address disparities
A daylong event aimed at addressing health challenges that Somali Americans face is planned for Saturday.
The Somali Medical Association of America will host the first annual Somali Health Summit at Concordia University in St. Paul.
Research shows that Somali Americans have alarmingly low rates of cancer screenings. Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester plan to present data at the conference.
Mustafa Mussa, a medical student and one of the organizers of the event, said many Somali Americans' mistrust of the system as well as language barriers prevent them from seeking medical care. He notes there is a growing interest in the medical profession among Somali Americans that has helped reach people.
“We speak the language, we understand the culture,” he said. “When we try to explain the importance of prevention in our language, and they find out that we are coming from the health sector, they have a better understanding and have trust with us.”
The summit will bring together medical professionals as well as community health workers. Mussa says the goal is to identify key issues affecting the Somali community and find better ways to close the gaps.
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