Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Disparities

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.

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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."

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.

1
Browse our network of top therapist to find one that matches your needs.
2
Get private and secure emotional support weekly from your dedicated therapist.
3
Experience comprehensive care with unlimited access to your care team and primary care physician.

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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:

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) "expands and mobilizes resources for AAPI communities to build a more just and equitable society."
Asian American Psychological Association is focused on advancing "the mental health and well-being of Asian American communities through research, professional practice, education, and policy."
Asian Mental Health Collective (AMHC) aims "to normalize and de-stigmatize mental health within the Asian community."
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) "influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders."
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates "is dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders."
Stop AAPI Hate "tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States."
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that "protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans."

Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Disparities

Health Disparities Among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

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