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Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Disparities

Read time: 5 minutes
Jennifer Nelson
Written by Jennifer Nelson
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Katalin Karolyi
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    Health Disparities Among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

    Did you know that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the fastest-growing racial group in the United States? There are about 24 million AAPI Americans in the country, with AAPI communities consisting of approximately 50 ethnic groups speaking more than 100 languages.

    With such a diverse and growing population, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Asian American and Pacific Islander health disparities are a very real problem.

    For example, when lumped into one population, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are about as likely to be uninsured as White people. However, Bangladeshis are about three times as likely to be uninsured as Japanese people and about twice as likely as Whites.

    What are some of the risk factors contributing to AAPI health disparities? How can we, as a country, try to reduce those disparities? And how can you as an individual support AAPI communities? Let's discuss.

     

    Risk Factors Contributing to AAPI Health Disparities

    There are numerous reasons for AAPI health disparities. Here are some of the most significant issues.

    Lack of Health Insurance

    While about 7% of natural-born American citizens were uninsured as of 2016, 14% of Nepalese Americans, 12% of Micronesians, and 9% of Laotians were uninsured. Meanwhile, only 4% of Japanese Americans and 5% of Native Hawaiians, Filipinos, and Asian Indians lacked insurance.

    Lack of health insurance limits access to care, contributing to poorer health outcomes for certain parts of the AAPI community.

    Lower Quality of Care

    Some AAPI communities get a lower quality of care than others. As an example, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders receive less prenatal care in the first trimester and have higher infant mortality than Whites.

    Immigration-Based Barriers

    Fear of jeopardizing their immigration status or citizenship application process may prevent some AAPIs from seeking health care, especially mental health care. Additionally, 35% of noncitizens are uninsured, further complicating the ability to receive health care. 

    Language Barriers

    Overall, nearly one in three (32.6%) AAPI Americans are not fluent in English, and 60% of AAPIs aged 65 and older have limited English proficiency. However, fluency rates vary by subgroup, with 44.8% of Chinese, 20.9 % of Filipinos, and 18.7% of Asian Indians not fluent in English, further contributing to health disparities within the AAPI population.

    Cultural Barriers

    Traditional and non-Western types of medicine are still the preferred choice for some within some AAPI communities. A few examples include:

    • Traditional Chinese medicine

    • Japanese herbal medicine

    • Ayurveda (the traditional medicine of India)

    • Tibetan medicine

    • Folk nutritional therapy

    • Acupuncture

    • Massage therapy

    • Guided meditation

    • Energy healing exercises (such as tai chi and qi gong)

    • Spiritual healing

    Cultural barriers also tend to be a substantial factor in the low incidence of AAPIs seeking out mental health care.

    Food and Housing Insecurity

    While the Asian poverty rate is almost identical to the White poverty rate (9.7% and 9% respectively) as of 2019, that is still more than a million and a half AAPIs who may struggle with food and housing. 

    Health not only tends to take a back seat when you are trying to figure out when and where to get your next meal, but it is also directly negatively impacted. One study showed that "Healthier foods cost nearly twice as much as unhealthier foods per serving on average."

    Related: Nutrition for Weight Management

    Infrequent Doctor Visits

    As a result of all the previously listed risk factors, AAPIs are less likely to have a personal doctor than Whites and are less likely to seek medical care (19.4% and 12.9% respectively).

    Research Challenges

    Asian American and Pacific Islanders are an incredibly diverse population. However, they tend to get grouped into a single category. In fact, the many groups within the AAPI category have different health challenges, but those are not being studied very much. More research into the disparities within the AAPI umbrella could help reduce those disparities.

    AAPI Mental Health

    Fewer than one in four (23.3%) AAPI adults with a mental illness receive treatment. That is compared to four in 10 (41%) people with mental illnesses in the United States. Some of the reasons for this include:

    • Shame and stigma

    • Language barriers

    • Lack of health insurance coverage

    • The "model minority" stereotype

    • Spirituality and faith

    • Immigration status

    • Preference for traditional/non-Western medicine

    Read: Mental Health Counseling Online

    How to Reduce Health Disparities for the AAPI Population

    There is no single answer about how to reduce health disparities and improve AAPI access to health care, but some things that may help include:

    • Expanding health insurance coverage

    • Increasing awareness of racial and ethnic disparities in care

    • Improving access to language-access services and interpreters

    • Increasing the knowledge base on causes and interventions

    • Improving the number and capacity of providers in underserved communities

    Healthcare Online 

    PlushCare is committed to providing online telehealth services at an affordable cost to everyone who needs it. Telehealth is fundamentally about increasing access to care. We are working to make healthcare more readily available, easier to access, and simpler to receive the care you need.

     

    How to Support Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

    If you would like to help support AAPI communities, here are some organizations you could consider contributing to:

    Read More About Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Disparities

     



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