Psychosocial Assessment, Support and Counseling

Health Disparities

Our clients stated that they are “Asian American,” but this general term can refer to people with familial roots originating in many countries, ethnic groups, and cultures of the Asian continent including, but not limited to: Asian Indian, Bangladeshi, Bhutanese, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malayan, Mien, Nepalese, Pakistani, Sikh, Sri Lankan, Thai, and Vietnamese. Under the umbrella of this non-specific term, the Asian American population has been described as relatively young, having grown significantly over the last several decades (Yu-Wai-Chiu & Lee, 2004).

In 2004, according to the U.S. Census Bureau population estimate, the Asian American population was 13.5 million, or 4.7% of the U.S. household population. More than 90% of Asian Americans live in metropolitan centers, with 55% of all Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) living in California, Hawaii, and Washington (Barnes & Bennet, 2002). Most Asian Americans are immigrants. It is estimated that approximately 2/3 of Asian Americans were born in foreign countries (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). Persons of Asian descent account for the greatest percentage of foreign-born individuals in the U.S. This suggests that the majority of the U.S. Asian population is in the process of acculturation and establishing a distinct Asian American culture (Yu-Wai-Chiu & Lee, 2004). The term “model minority” has been used to describe Asian Americans because of statistically higher levels of education and income compared to other racial minority groups (Maddux et al., 2008; U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). Overall health indicators suggest that this population is one of the healthiest in the U.S. However, there is great diversity within this group, and marked health disparities exist for specific segments (“Asian American and Pacific Islanders: Health Disparities,” 2009). The following is a sample of the available information indicating that Asian Americans are disproportionately affected by many health disparities:

  1. Two million Asian Americans in the U.S. do not have health insurance.

  2.  For Asian American women, cancer is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Asian American women have the lowest cancer screening rates and are usually diagnosed at a later stage compared to women of other racial and ethnic groups.

  3.  Hepatitis B is one of the greatest health threats for Asians. Asian Americans account for over half of deaths resulting from chronic Hepatitis B infection in the U.S. They are 3 to 13 times more likely to die from liver cancer caused by Hepatitis B than Caucasians. More specifically, Chinese Americans are at 6 times higher risk from dying from liver cancer compared to Caucasians, while Korean Americans are at 8 times higher risk, and Vietnamese Americans are at 13 times higher risk.

  4.  Mental health problems in the Asian American community are high, and the available services are inadequate. For example, Asian women aged 65 years and over have the highest suicide rate in the country compared with any other population in that age group. Also, Asian American adolescent girls reportedly have the highest rates of depressive symptoms compared to girls of other ethnicities. In addition, many Southeast Asian refugees are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder associated with trauma experienced before or after immigration to the U.S.

  5.  Asian women have a high risk of osteoporosis. The average calcium intake among Asian women has been observed to be half that of Western population groups. As many as 90% of Asian Americans are lactose intolerant or cannot easily digest dairy products.

  6.  Asian Americans have a higher prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) than all other racial and ethnic groups.

  7.  Asian American youths in grades 7 through 12 have the highest increase in smoking rates of any racial or ethnic group.

 

* Source # 1: Commonwealth Fund 2001 Health Care Quality Survey

** Source #2-7: President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Addressing Health Disparities: Opportunities for Building a Healthier America, 2003

 

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