March 1, 2017
WASHINGTON – The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Dorothy Rice, a trailblazer who partnered closely with APIAHF for data equity. Kathy Ko Chin, president and CEO of APIAHF, provided the following statement.
“Dr. Dorothy Rice had a tremendous influence on the work we do at APIAHF, especially to forward our shared mission of health equity and social justice. She was a trusted guide for those of us who built relationships with federal agencies working with data.
In 1989, the APIAHF established the National Research Advisory Committee (NRAC). The NRAC greatly benefited from the advice, and later, active participation from Dorothy, an internationally recognized pioneer of health statistics, the director of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) from 1976–1982, and prior to that, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Research with the Social Security Administration.
Dorothy’s guidance and engagement with APIAHF in addressing the data gaps on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health began in 1988, initiating an active, longstanding community partnership with the NCHS to address these issues to this day. Dorothy advised that data equity goals had to be anchored in feasible methodological and cost-effective options. Dorothy’s advice was pivotal and essential to APIAHF’s work and impact in our earliest days – we sought her out an important partner – and has left a legacy for our work over our 30 years.
Throughout her career, Dorothy was committed to public service and her work prepared the United States for the rollout of Medicare, Medicaid and contributions to Social Security. Dorothy made a great impact and her presence will be sorely missed.”
Most recently, Dr. Dorothy Rice was Professor Emerita at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing and was faculty at UCSF’s Institute for Health and Aging.