Information fuels preparedness, especially for limited English speakers

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Families up-to-date information to be prepared and keep themselves well.

Lately I’ve been reading every newspaper in sight and switching between news channels for updates on the potential swine flu pandemic. I’ve been diligently washing my hands as instructed and covering my mouth if I cough. Thankfully I also know that I should remain calm and that I have easy access to information should swine flu become a local problem.

But, many Americans do not have access to this type of information. They may not know about the outbreak in Mexico City that has now been spotted in New Zealand and Israel, and just across our state border in Indiana. While this up to the minute news can fuel panic, it can also fuel preparedness. Many in Illinois may not know that the swine flu is treatable with medication, where to find a doctor, or that you can have swine flu and spread it before you even feel sick. I have access to a wealth of information. Unfortunately, most of this information is only available in English, and some is in Spanish. In a state where 13% of the population are immigrants and 25% of all children are immigrants or children of immigrants, it is imperative that information be made accessible to our limited English speaking communities. And, while Mexican immigrants make up 41% of Illinois immigrant populations, that leaves over 50% of Illinois immigrants not from Mexico, most of them with a first language other than English or Spanish.

Health providers must make information available to the entire population. No one needs panic but everyone needs to be informed and prepared!

The World Health Organization page has info in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish

Pandemicflu.gov has info in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

For basic hygiene and germ info, check out Medline Plus:

The National Resource Center on Advancing Emergency Preparedness for Culturally Diverse Communities seeks to eliminate disparities for culturally diverse communities across all phases of an emergency. Website includes articles, reports, and translated materials on emergency preparedness.

Some nativst groups have taken to blaming immigrants for the swine flu. Not only is this a disgusting misrepresentation of facts is also a danger to the public health. We need to educate the population not scapegoat them.

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© 2009 Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights