185428 Representativeness and Alternative Sampling of Asian Americans: An Evaluation of the California Health Interview Survey

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 1:00 PM

Paul Ong, PhD , Professor, School of Public Affairs/Professor, Asian American Studies/Director, UC AAPI Policy Multi-campus Research Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Asians constitute a large and highly diverse population in California; therefore, collecting health data on this group is critical to understanding the health issues in the state. The paper compares the random-digit-dialing Asian sample and the Asian surnames sample in CHIS (California Health Interview Survey) with Asians in the 2000 Public-Use Micro Sample of the Decennial Census . The purpose of this study is to determine if there are any biases associated with the Asian CHIS samples. The study examines relative coverage, compares demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and assesses the effectiveness of weights to make the Asian CHIS samples more representative of the universe. When feasible, the analysis examines ethnic specific Asian groups. The key findings are that Asians are under-represented when using random-digit-dialing, and that multi-racial Asians are severely under represented in when using surnames. There are systematic differences in demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and the biases vary by ethnicity. The CHIS weights eliminate or reduce demographic biases but not socioeconomic ones. Weighting generally produces small changes in the estimated statistics for health indicators.

Learning Objectives:
1) Identify data sources for the Asian American population that can be used for evaluation projects and as a research tool for the state and national level. 2) Demonstrate the value of a state and local survey to examine national trends for Asian Americans 3) Assess the effectiveness of health issues with Asian Americans nationally by examining the survey.

Keywords: Asian Americans, Data Collection

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Professor Ong has done research on the labor market status of minorities and immigrants, displaced high-tech workers, work and welfare and transportation access. He is currently engaged in several projects, including studies on the effects of neighborhood economies on welfare and work, community economic development in minority communities, and the labor market for healthcare workers. Previous research projects have included studies of the impact of defense cuts on California's once-dominant aerospace industry, the impact of immigration on the employment status of young African Americans, and the influence of car ownership and subsidized housing on welfare usage. He was co-author of a widely reported 1994 study on Asian Pacific Americans, which challenged the popular stereotype of Asians as the country's "model minority" by showing they are just as likely as other groups to be impoverished. Dr. Ong has served as an advisor to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and to the California Department of Social Services and the state Department of Employment Development, as well as the Wellness Foundation and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Use of California Health Interview Survey for Asian & Pacific Islander Data
See more of: Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of APHA