The Centre for Asian and Ethnic Minority Health Research (CAHRE)was formed on the 19th of May 2004. CAHRE
has a vision for international collaboration with individual researchers and
organisations from Asian countries. It focuses on making positive effects to the health
and wellbeing of Asian and other Ethnic Minority New Zealanders and their communities.
CAHRE's research projects include family violence in Asian communities, Chinese
mental health, a training module on Asian culture for health practitioners and the
development of a public health school in South East Asia. With sufficient support
from government, non-government organisations and private sources, CAEHRE's future
projects will focus on several aspects of Asian and other Ethnic Minority mental health, cardiac rehabilitation,
cancer treatment and palliative care, complementary ethnic medicine, women, youth
and elderly, injury prevention, and rehabilitation.
In 2004, CAHRE hosted the Inaugural International Asian Health Conference with support
of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development, Office of Ethnic Affairs,
Health Research Council and other partners. It brought together medical, social
services and cultural experts to discuss and exhange information about how to respond
to diverse needs of Asian communities in New Zealand and Asia Pacific.
There have been two more conferences organised by CAHRE since 2006. The most recent
conference was held on 8th and 9th September 2008. The theme of the conference was
Building healthy communities: North and South. Conference delegates and
government officials gathered at the School of Population Health (SoPH) and shared
their knowledge and information. It was followed by Christchurch Symposium held
on Thursday 10th September in Christchurch. The main purpose of the meeting was
to raise the awareness of rising health concern within the Asian population amongst
diverse communities, and more than 80 people attended the event. Both meetings drew
much positive feedback, and there was a strong endorsement for the next conference
to be organised.
CAHRE has recently been selected as one of the recipients for Annual Diversity Award
2009 by Human Rights Commission. The awards are about public acknowledgement, not
financial reward. Recipients receive a mounted certificate, which was presented
by the Governor General, Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, at the Annual Diveristy Awards
Ceremony at Te Papa Museum on 24th August as part of the New Zealand Diversity Forum.
The next conference is scheduled to be held on 27th to 29th June 2012. The theme has been chosen;
Social Environment, Migration and Health. More information about this event will be released
soon on our events page.
