Healthy People 2010 and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders: Defining a Baseline of Information

OBJECTIVES: Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health lists 6 areas of disparity in minority health services: infant mortality, cancer, cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and immunizations. This study compiles existing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) health data to establish a baseline. METHODS: For federally-sponsored research (1986-2000), the Computer Retrieval of Information on Specific Projects (CRISP) database was analyzed. AAPI initiatives were divided by subpopulation and disparity area. MEDLINE articles (1966-2000) were similarly scrutinized. RESULTS: Few federal health-related grants (0.2%) and MEDLINE articles (0.01%) mention AAPIs. For the 6 disparity areas, significant AAPI data gaps remain. CONCLUSIONS: To reach the Healthy People 2010 goals and have useful data, researchers and grant makers must focus on obtaining baseline data for disaggregated AAPI subgroups.