assessing the health of asian american youth: assessing the health of asian american youth: a...

Assessing the Health of Asian Assessing the Health of Asian American Youth: American Youth:

A Multidisciplinary ApproachA Multidisciplinary Approach

Cliff AkiyamaCliff Akiyama

University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaJerry Lee Center of Criminology Jerry Lee Center of Criminology

Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia, PA

Asian DemographicsAsian Demographics

Asian Demographics in the United Asian Demographics in the United States (2000 Census Data)States (2000 Census Data)

Asians make up Asians make up 11.9 million 11.9 million of the total populationof the total population

U.S. residents who reported Asian alone or in U.S. residents who reported Asian alone or in combination with one or more other races made up combination with one or more other races made up 4.2%4.2% of the total population in the U.S. of the total population in the U.S.

Chinese are the leading Asian group with Chinese are the leading Asian group with 2.72.7 million followed by Filipinos (million followed by Filipinos (2.42.4 million) million)

U.S. residents who reported as Native Hawaiian U.S. residents who reported as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone or in combination and Other Pacific Islander alone or in combination is is 874,400 874,400 ((0.3 percent of the total population0.3 percent of the total population))


Median income of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Median income of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) households is households is $55,525$55,525, the highest median income of , the highest median income of any racial group any racial group

The poverty rate of Asians and Pacific Islanders is The poverty rate of Asians and Pacific Islanders is 10.7% 10.7% (lowest poverty rate the Census Bureau has (lowest poverty rate the Census Bureau has ever measured for this race group) ever measured for this race group)

44%44% of Asians and Pacific Islanders age of Asians and Pacific Islanders age 25 25 and and overover hold a hold a bachelor's degreebachelor's degree or or higherhigher (the corresponding (the corresponding rate for all adults 25 and over was rate for all adults 25 and over was 26%26%) )


11 in in 77 Asian and Pacific Islanders ages 25 and over Asian and Pacific Islanders ages 25 and over hold an hold an advanced degreeadvanced degree

The five largest contributors to the nation's Asian-The five largest contributors to the nation's Asian-born population were born population were ChinaChina, , IndiaIndia, , KoreaKorea, , PhilippinesPhilippines, and , and Vietnam Vietnam

Close to half (Close to half (about 45 percentabout 45 percent) of the nation's ) of the nation's Asian-born population lived in three metropolitan Asian-born population lived in three metropolitan areas: areas: Los AngelesLos Angeles, , New YorkNew York, and , and San Francisco San Francisco


4.24.2 million of California residents ( million of California residents (12%12% of total CA of total CA population) reported as Asian in Census 2000, population) reported as Asian in Census 2000, making the Golden State the state with the highest making the Golden State the state with the highest number of Asians number of Asians

New York, Hawaii, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, New York, Hawaii, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington, Florida, Virginia, and Massachusetts Washington, Florida, Virginia, and Massachusetts followed in order. Combined, these ten states followed in order. Combined, these ten states represented represented 75%75% of the country's Asian population of the country's Asian population


31.131.1 was the median age of the Asian population was the median age of the Asian population

6.96.9 millionmillion people spoke an Asian or Pacific Islander people spoke an Asian or Pacific Islander language at homelanguage at home

There are overThere are over 100 100 Asian languages/dialects spoken Asian languages/dialects spoken in the United Statesin the United States

47%47% of the foreign-born population from Asia who of the foreign-born population from Asia who were naturalized U.S. citizens were naturalized U.S. citizens

88%88% of API’s were either foreign-born themselves or of API’s were either foreign-born themselves or had at least one foreign-born parent had at least one foreign-born parent

AsianAsian Youth Gangs Youth Gangs

Asian Gang Statistics in Asian Gang Statistics in Los Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County, California

Asian gangs make up about Asian gangs make up about 11% 11% of the total gang of the total gang population (1,351 total gangs) population (1,351 total gangs)

There are currently There are currently 151 151 documented Asian gangs documented Asian gangs in the County of Los Angeles in the County of Los Angeles

Average age is Average age is 1515 with a range of with a range of 8-228-22 years years

Gang membership exceeds Gang membership exceeds 6,000 6,000 (over 150,000 total (over 150,000 total members)members)

Asian Gang Statistics in Asian Gang Statistics in Orange County, California Orange County, California

Asian gangs make up about Asian gangs make up about 16%16% of the total gang of the total gang population (365 population (365 total gangs) total gangs)

There are currently There are currently 65 65 documented Asian gangs documented Asian gangs in Orange County in Orange County

Average age is Average age is 1515 with a range of with a range of 8-228-22 years years

Gang membership exceeds Gang membership exceeds 3,000 3,000 (over 22,000 total (over 22,000 total members)members)

Ethnic Composition of Asian Ethnic Composition of Asian Youth GangsYouth Gangs

Vietnamese Vietnamese CambodiansCambodians LaotiansLaotians FilipinosFilipinos SamoansSamoans Chinese/TaiwaneseChinese/Taiwanese Koreans Koreans

Factors Contributing to Asian Factors Contributing to Asian Youth Gang MembershipYouth Gang Membership

Lack of adult supervisionLack of adult supervision Breakdown of the familyBreakdown of the family Victimization due to racismVictimization due to racism Reactions to culture shockReactions to culture shock Need for survivalNeed for survival Desire for monetary profitDesire for monetary profit

Traditional Traditional Versus Versus

“Non-Traditional" “Non-Traditional"

Asian Gangs Asian Gangs

Characteristics of Traditional Characteristics of Traditional Asian GangsAsian Gangs

Primarily found to be Pacific Islanders (i.e: Primarily found to be Pacific Islanders (i.e: Filipinos, Samoans, Chamorros)Filipinos, Samoans, Chamorros)

Primary motive is driven by money and Primary motive is driven by money and drugsdrugs

Extremely territorialExtremely territorialTypically wear identifying colors which Typically wear identifying colors which

indicate their gang affiliation (Red=Bloods indicate their gang affiliation (Red=Bloods and Blue=Crips)and Blue=Crips)

Characteristics of “Non-Characteristics of “Non-Traditional” Asian GangsTraditional” Asian Gangs

Primarily found to be Vietnamese, Laotian, Primarily found to be Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, Korean, or ChineseCambodian, Korean, or Chinese

Prey on their own culturePrey on their own culture Primary motive is driven by money by Primary motive is driven by money by

committing high tech crimes (i.e: computer committing high tech crimes (i.e: computer chip theft, credit card fraud, counterfeiting, chip theft, credit card fraud, counterfeiting, and auto theft) and auto theft)

Extremely violent (home invasions) Extremely violent (home invasions) Transient (move from one place to another)Transient (move from one place to another)Racial exclusivityRacial exclusivity

SuicideSuicide

National Characteristics of SuicideNational Characteristics of Suicide Suicide took the lives of Suicide took the lives of 30,57530,575 Americans in 1998 Americans in 1998

(11.3 per 100,000 population)(11.3 per 100,000 population)

More people die from suicide than from homicide. In More people die from suicide than from homicide. In 1998, there were 1998, there were 1.71.7 times as many suicides as homicides times as many suicides as homicides

Overall, suicide is the Overall, suicide is the eighth eighth leading cause of death for all leading cause of death for all Americans and is the Americans and is the thirdthird leading cause of death for leading cause of death for young people young people aged 15-24aged 15-24

Males are Males are four timesfour times more likely to more likely to diedie from suicide than from suicide than are females. However, females are more likely to are females. However, females are more likely to attemptattempt suicide than are malessuicide than are males

Nearly Nearly 3 3 of every of every 55 suicides in 1998 ( suicides in 1998 (57%57%) were ) were committed with a committed with a firearmfirearm

Suicide in the Asian CommunitySuicide in the Asian Community

Suicide in the Asian Community makes up Suicide in the Asian Community makes up 11%11% of all suicides reported, which is the of all suicides reported, which is the highest for any minority grouphighest for any minority group

Asian American women have theAsian American women have the highest highest suicide rates among women ages 15 to 24 suicide rates among women ages 15 to 24 and those over age 65and those over age 65

Suicide is ranked Suicide is ranked 8th8th in the leading causes in the leading causes of death for Asian American and Pacific of death for Asian American and Pacific IslanderIslander women women in the United States in the United States

Teen PregnancyTeen Pregnancy

Teen Pregnancy in the Teen Pregnancy in the Asian CommunityAsian Community

As a group, Asian/Pacific Islanders (API) As a group, Asian/Pacific Islanders (API) experience low rates of teen pregnancy and experience low rates of teen pregnancy and childbearing, and are therefore often childbearing, and are therefore often left outleft out of of prevention efforts as a low-risk populationprevention efforts as a low-risk population

The The "model minority""model minority" stereotype, coupled with stereotype, coupled with classification of API communities as a single classification of API communities as a single "Asian" group, has masked significant health "Asian" group, has masked significant health and social issues, in particular with adolescent and social issues, in particular with adolescent pregnancypregnancy

Teen Pregnancy in the Asian Teen Pregnancy in the Asian Community: Confronting the TruthCommunity: Confronting the Truth

Asian/Pacific Islanders currently have one Asian/Pacific Islanders currently have one of the fastest growing teenage pregnancy of the fastest growing teenage pregnancy rates in the nation, at a time when U.S. teen rates in the nation, at a time when U.S. teen births overall are decreasingbirths overall are decreasing

When using a single API classification the When using a single API classification the percentage of births to teen mothers is percentage of births to teen mothers is 5.65.6, , far below the percentages among whites far below the percentages among whites ((12%12%), Hispanics (), Hispanics (16%16%), and blacks (), and blacks (18%18%))

Teen Pregnancy in the Asian Teen Pregnancy in the Asian Community: Confronting the TruthCommunity: Confronting the Truth

The greater API population comprises both the The greater API population comprises both the lowestlowest percentage of teen births ( percentage of teen births (Chinese teens Chinese teens at 1%at 1%) and the ) and the highesthighest ((Laotian teens at 19%Laotian teens at 19%))

Groups falling in between include Groups falling in between include Chamorros Chamorros (Guam) (Guam) at at 17%17% and and HawaiiansHawaiians at at 14%14%

CambodiansCambodians and and Pacific IslandersPacific Islanders are also at are also at highly elevated risk of teen childbearing and highly elevated risk of teen childbearing and have seen a dramatic increase in the past few have seen a dramatic increase in the past few yearsyears

Improving the Health of Improving the Health of Asian American YouthAsian American Youth

Before any type of intervention or Before any type of intervention or prevention program can be implemented prevention program can be implemented in an Asian community, the community in an Asian community, the community must must firstfirst admit that they have a admit that they have a problemproblem

ApathyApathy is the community’s worst enemy is the community’s worst enemy

Must gain Must gain “trust”“trust” within the community within the community

Improving the Health of Improving the Health of Asian American YouthAsian American Youth

A A multidisciplinarymultidisciplinary approach is needed to help approach is needed to help fight various health and social problems fight various health and social problems

Such an approach should include the Such an approach should include the public public healthhealth, , medicalmedical, , legallegal, and , and law enforcementlaw enforcement sectorssectors

Prevention programs should promote Prevention programs should promote parent parent involvementinvolvement and and educationeducation

Increase Increase community involvementcommunity involvement and and education education through through outreach programs outreach programs

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