Investigating the myth of the “model minority”: a participatory community health assessment of Chinese and Vietnamese adults

Topic Areas: Immigrant health; Social determinants of health
Service: Assessment and Planning

Despite the persistent belief that Asians are the “model minority,” there is accumulating evidence of health concerns within Asian subgroups. ICH led a cross-sectional participatory community health assessment in a city in Massachusetts, to understand differences and similarities in demographics, health and healthcare access in Chinese and Vietnamese adults. The study team gathered qualitative data from community stakeholders to inform the development of a community health assessment tool. The tool elicited information on healthcare access, health status, behavioral health and chronic disease history and treatment. Healthcare access issues and poor health status (particularly among Chinese participants) and mental health symptomatology (in both groups were areas of concern. These findings revealed important health concerns in two Asian ethnic groups, and indicate that future studies are needed to better understand these concerns and inform programs and policies to improve health outcomes in these Asian ethnic groups.