Asian/Pacific Americans are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population
today. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: (1) to provide a description of the
mortality differentials, health status, and health services utilization of these
Asian/Pacific Islanders and elderly based on records maintained by the National
Center for Health Statistics and other findings reported by individual researchers,
and (2) to show that there is an urgent need to gather accurate and specific data
so that their needs can be assessed realistically. A socio-demographic profile will
be presented, followed by a discussion of health behavior and health services
utilization. Thus far, the health needs and health services utilization relative to
white and black Americans have been ignored. Studies of the Asian/Pacific
Americans' needs have been unsystematic and fragmentary. Many of the existing
findings come from sample and non-professional studies by service providers on
conditions and services rather than from studies conducted by trained investigators.
Thus, the cycle of 'no statistics, no problems' has been a persistent problem in
dealing with their needs. The concommitant problems of housing congestion,
language barriers, under- or non-utilization of medical services also need to be
remedied. In addition, their medical systems, the role of culture in health care, and
the impact of western medicine should be examined in detail.
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