Brief on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Report

Epidemiologic Profile 2010: Asians and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders

In August 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a groundbreaking report focusing on the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities and their disease burden for several viral communicable diseases: specifically, HIV /AIDS; viral hepatitis; sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); and, tuberculosis (TB). This report follows an April 2010 recommendation for an AA and NHPI epidemiological profile across these four disease areas, delivered at a consultation that CDC held with 40 representatives of AA and NHPI communities on HIV/AIDS issues. Subsequently, this recommendation was incorporated into the first National HIV/AIDS Strategy for HIV/AIDS in 2010 and the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan in 2011.

Driven by community advocacy efforts and the tremendous growth of the U.S. AA and NHPI populations, this report is historic as the first of its kind that CDC has released on AA and NHPIs, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, STDs, and tuberculosis. It compiles existing health survey data collected by the CDC, the states, and other sources using national health surveys and reporting registries. Increased health data collection, reporting, and dissemination for the AA and NHPI communities are longstanding policy priorities to increase access to health equity for AAs and NHPIs. The authors hope these reports will serve as an initial step towards future, increased data collection and focus on AA and NHPI health issues by CDC and other government agencies. This brief highlights the data presented in the report, and distills some initial key recommendations for further inquiry and policy action.

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