Stepping into a New Experience: Upcoming Community Health Project in San Antonio, TX
Vicky Wang
1st Year Master of Health Informatics Candidate
In May, I will be heading to San Antonio, Texas, to participate in a community health project focusing on asthma—a significant public health issue that is heavily influenced by both environmental and social factors. This will be my first visit to Texas, and I look ahead to the experience with anticipation, curious to learn about Texas culture and how it differs from my own experiences, having grown up in the Midwest. I admit that I have some concerns, mostly because I don't speak Spanish. I believe communication is vital to the success of initiatives centered on community health, and this language barrier might be an obstacle. The duration of my involvement in San Antonio is also a cause for some reflection. With only one week to immerse myself in the community, I am questioning the depth of my potential impact and the sustainability of the contributions I’ll make. Building trust and making a lasting difference typically requires more time than I'll have, which is something I will need to keep in mind as I approach my work there.
Despite this, I am very excited by this opportunity to support and promote health literacy, an area where I have conducted some research before. I believe that understanding how to navigate health information is crucial for individuals to manage their health effectively. Through this project, I hope to apply my prior research to make a tangible difference, however small it may be, in the given time frame. As I prepare to embark on this project, I look forward to the personal growth that comes from stepping into new environments and working in various areas of research. I am eager to see what this experience teaches me about the San Antonio community and asthma as an overall public health challenge. While my time may be limited, I am hopeful that my efforts will contribute in a meaningful way to health literacy and asthma awareness in the West San Antonio community.