Book and Media Review: Asian American Communities and Health: Context,Research,Policy,and Action

Abstract

This commentary provides an in-depth and comprehensive contextual understanding of key issues influencing health in Asian American communities. It is a valuable resource addressing health disparities through ecological lenses and multilevel analyses and is congruent with the current movement toward a better understanding of the social determinants of health. The chapters are groundbreaking work of more than 40 leading researchers and community advocates. The book’s emphasis on understanding the social, cultural, and political context of the health of Asian Americans is relevant for a wide range of health professionals, social scientists, community advocates, and policy makers. It is also an excellent resource for faculty members and students interested not only in Asian American—related issues but also broader issues in vulnerable populations, public health, and social justice.

Keywords

Asian American communities health context research action

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Cho, S. , & Bae, S.W. ( 2005). Demography, psychosocial factors, and emotional problems of Korean American adolescents. Adolescence, 40, 533-550.

Epstein, J.A. , Griffin, K.W. , & Botvin, G.J. ( 2001). Risk taking and refusal assertiveness in a longitudinal model of alcohol use among inner-city adolescents. Prevention Science, 2, 193-200.

Hou, S. , & Basen-Engquist, K. (1997). Human immunodeficiency virus risk behavior among white and Asian/Pacific Islander high school students in the United States: Does culture make a difference? Journal of Adolescent Health, 20, 68-74.

National Center for complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2007). CAM basics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. ( 2002). The changing organization of work and the safety and health of working people. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Unger, J.B. , Cruz, T.B. , Rohebach, L.A. , Ribis, K.M. , Baezconde-Garbanati, L.B. , Chen, X. , . . . Johnson, C.A. ( 2000). English language use as a risk factor for smoking initiation among Hispanic and Asian American adolescents: Evidence for mediation by tobacco-related beliefs and social norms. Health Psychology, 19, 403-310.

Urban Institute. (2002). The dispersal of immigrants in the 1990s. Washington, DC: Author.

Williams, J.K.Y. , Else, I.R.N. , Hishinuma, E.S. , Goebert, D.A. , Chang, J.Y. , Andrade, N.N. , & Nishimura, S.T. (2005). A confirmatory model for depression among Japanese American and part-Japanese American adolescents. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 11, 41-56.