Examples of Health
Disparities among Asian Americans
Among smoking prevalence for Asian ethnic subgroups in the U,S. rates observed among Chinese men ranged from 14.3% to 33.6% Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood had the 2nd highest rates of tobacco use (33%) in survey of 10 ethnic communities
Asian Americans women (ages 18+) were least likely to have had a Pap test (68.0%) compared with other women: non-Hispanic white (72.8%), non-Hispanic black (77.4%), Hispanic/Latino (73.6%), American Indian/Alaska Native (73.4%).
The prevalence of hepatitis B (a primary cause of liver cancer) among Asian audits in the Chicago metropolitan area was 7.3% in 2012, compared to 0.5% – 1% among the general population.
Asians are then only racial/ethnic group in the city of Chicago to have heart disease (stroke and hypertension) and diabetes in the top 4 leading causes of death
Table 1: Leading Causes of Death By Race in City of Chicago
| Chicago | White | African American | Hispanic | Asian |
| Heart Disease | Heart Disease | Heart Disease | Heart Disease | Cancer |
| Cancer | Cancer | Cancer | Cancer | Heart Disease |
| Stroke | Stroke | Stroke | Diabetes | Stroke |
| Accidents | COPD | Accidents | Strokes | Diabetes |
Source: Chicago Plan for Health System Improvement, 2012-2016, CDPH
In a comprehensive need assessment survey of Asian ethnic populations in 2008, depressive symptoms were present in 84% of Chinese, 88% of Cambodian, and 63% of Vietnamese participants. This is particularly concerning given that Asian have one of the Highest Suicide rates in the U.S.