Efforts Increase Smoking Cessation Awareness Among Asian-Americans, HIV/AIDS Among Black Pastors and Address Hispanic Childhood Obesity

• California Smokers' Helpline: The California Smokers' Helpline has taken steps to make no-cost, confidential telephone counseling services, referrals and self-help materials available to Asian-American smokers hoping to quit, the Asian Journal reports. According to the Journal, 6.2% of the 430,000 California smokers are Asian-American. Previous findings indicate that a large number of Asian-American callers are women seeking information on how to help a relative or friend stop smoking. The California Department of Public Health Services sponsors culturally conscious television and print ads in multiple languages to increase awareness about the hotline, which offers assistance in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Vietnamese (Palacpac, Asian Journal, 9/8).
  
  
• Genesis Health Project: Genesis, which seeks to reduce health disparities among blacks, has partnered with a local community center in Syracuse, N.Y., to educate religious leaders about HIV/AIDS. According to the New York State Department of Health, 42% of new HIV diagnoses are among blacks, the Syracuse Post- Standard reports. Genesis and the Southwest Community Center's FACES HIV/AIDS outreach program is set on Friday to host a seminar for the pastors at a local church (Mulder, Syracuse Post-Standard, 9/12).
  
  
• National Latino Childhood Obesity Prevention Network: Salud America! The National Latino Childhood Obesity Prevention Network over the next five years will recruit a panel of 150 experts, who will meet in late 2008 to produce a research agenda addressing obesity among Hispanic youth, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The group then will fund 20 pilot projects of up to $75,000 each around the nation. The $5.2 million project is being funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of its $500 million initiative to address childhood obesity in the U.S. through 2012. Salud America! will be headquartered in San Antonio, Texas (Finley, San Antonio Express-News, 9/7).