“South Asian communities across the United States face persistent health inequities that go overlooked by our healthcare systems. We’re 4 times as likely as the general public to have heart disease, we’re nearly twice as likely as to have diabetes, and we have higher suicide rates than other groups of Americans. ”
— Indian American Impact
What Are Some Common Healthcare Disparities That South Asians Face?
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Diabetes
“If you or your relatives are from India or another South Asian country, you’re at greater risk for diabetes than people from other ethnic backgrounds…”
(Duke Health)
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Heart Disease
“More than 5 million South Asian people live in the U.S., census data show. Scientists have long been aware that the group faces a higher risk for heart disease, which tends to appear in South Asians earlier in life.”
(The American Heart Association)
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Mental Health
“1 in 5 US South Asians report experiencing a mood or anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Mental health problems are common for US South Asians, with women reporting higher levels of distress than men.”
(The South Asian Public Health Association)
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Cerebrovascular Disease
“South Asian individuals…have a higher proportional mortality rate from…cerebrovascular disease, typically earlier in onset, when compared with other ethnic groups.”
(The National Library of Medicine)
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Access to Healthcare
A study by UCLA found that
“1 in 5 South Asians lack health insurance…Approximately 40% of South Asians under the age of 65 reported no regular source of care…Among the insured South Asians, 15% reported no regular source of care”
(SAALT and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research)
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Research
“South Asians–individuals with origins in the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other regions of the subcontinent—are an understudied and at-risk racial/ethnic minority population for disproportionate burden of preventable diseases in the United States.”
(The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)