The diabetes rates for Asian Americans has been increasing over the last twenty years, with over 1 out of 5 Asian Americans having diabetes, almost twice the rates to their White counterparts (11.3%) (Lee et al., 2011; Menke, Casagrande, Geiss, & Cowie, 2015). The diabetes prevalence for Asians living in the U.S. are higher than those individuals living in their countries of origin (Fujimoto et al. 2012; Stewart 2016 et al.), and these vary widely by ethnic subgroup (Kanaya, 2010; Wang et al. 2011; Stewart et al 2016). We know little about what are the causes of these health disparities, and why the rates of the immigrants and the growing second generation are more at risk than in their respective Asian countries. Together, these observations suggest that assimilation, or the process of becoming American, may be putting immigrant minority groups, especially at risk for diabetes and other chronic diseases (Oza-Frank et al 2011; Popkin & Udry, 1998). This mixed-method project examines the relationship between assimilation and diabetes prevalence in Asian American populations, using quantitative and qualitative approaches. Pooling data from years 2005- 2014 from the California Health Interview Survey, it examines the relationship between immigrant generation and type 2 diabetes, focusing on the top 6 Asian American ethnic groups in California. It also examines the extent acculturation and socioeconomic contextual factors might lead to differential risks for diabetes, while considering known risk factors. Partnering with the Los Angeles community-based organization, Asian Pacific Islanders Obesity Prevention Alliance (APIOPA), we supplement our quantitative findings with multilingual focus groups and interviews with Asian American from the different ethnic groups. As one of the only research projects at our university to focus on Asian American health, the proposed project will provide a valuable opportunity for Asian American students to engage in research directly affecting their community as well as for other students with an interest in immigrant and minority health. Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved throughout the project including concept development, developing multicultural competent measures for quantitative data analysis, interview-guide construction, manuscript writing, and skills for community-engaged research.
Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S., and the majority are immigrants or children of immigrants. Immigrants and their second-generation children now make up 81 million, or over 26 percent, of the overall U.S. population. By contributing to an understanding of the role of assimilation in diabetes, a preventable disease, this study will help inform further research and strategies for reducing diabetes and other health risks not just among Asian Americans but also among many of the nation's immigrant groups.
