Medically underserved health service gaps among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

A limited amount of health care data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) currently exists, and studies examining medically underserved health service areas for AAPIs remain non-existent. To support the expansion of primary care services among medically underserved AAPIs, the Medically Underserved AAPI Communities (MUAC) project developed an index based on four key indicators (population, poverty, limited English proficiency (LEP), and physician to patient ratio) that affect AAPI health. We utilized the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach to identify medically underserved AAPI areas by county across the nation. This prior study identified major county-level gaps between our MUAC index and the federal medically underserved area designations. This work suggested the need for further examination of existing service areas, whether they adequately target AAPIs, and areas of growth required to meet higher need. This current study expands upon this prior work and provides both state-level and neighborhood-level (sub-county) assessments of where AAPIs lack access to health care. We will compare our results with federal data from the Bureau of Primary Health Care and the National Association of Community Health Centers. For select AAPI neighborhoods identified as medically underserved based on our index, we will also provide associated demographic and health information, and assess the scope of health resources for these neighborhoods. Overall, this project will provide a better understanding of the primary care service gaps of medically underserved AAPIs and support community health centers and systems nationwide as they strive to improve health care delivery for all.