Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders: Health Disparities Overview

The available demographic and health data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are usually of limited value because of the attempt to encompass the broad AAPI group, in spite of the enormous diversity among the peoples included. Without disaggregating the data, it is impossible to detect the great variations in income, education, and health status among AAPI populations, hiding serious socioeconomic and health problems both within and between subgroups.

Health indicators for AAPIs overall suggest that this population is one of the healthiest in the US. However, there is great diversity within this group, and marked health disparities exist for specific segments. Women of Vietnamese origin, for example, suffer from cervical cancer at nearly five times the rate for white women. New cases of hepatitis and tuberculosis are also higher in AAPIs living in the US than in whites. (US DHHS, 2000). [ Read more ]

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Health disparities are believed to be the result of the complex interaction among genetic variations, environmental factors, and specific health behaviors.

Underlying Causes of Health Disparities: Income and Education Inequalities in income and education underlie many health disparities in the US. Income and education are intrinsically related and often serve as proxy measures for each other. In general, population groups that suffer the worst health status are also those that have the highest poverty rates and the least education. Disparities in income and education levels are associated with differences in the occurrence of death and illness, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, elevated blood lead level, and low birth weight. Higher incomes permit increased access to medical care, enable people to afford better housing and live in safer neighborhoods, and increase the opportunity to engage in health-promoting behaviors. (US DHHS, 2000).