US national health data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: A research agenda for the 1990s

Objectives. In spite of over 30 years of periodic nationwide surveys, we have thus far only the most rudimentary estimates of the determinants of the health of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. This paper explores ways to improve the capability of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to collect national health data on these populations. Methods. The NCHS 'race' coding practices are reviewed, their limitations stated, ways to improve the numerator and denominator data discussed, and a research agenda presented. Results. Resources can be intensified to produce better denominator data, and to improve the collection of detailed ethnicity information for the numerators, in at least the three states (California, New York, and Hawaii) where the majority of Asian/Pacific Islanders lived in 1990. Subsequently, these efforts should be extended to the 10 states where 79% of these individuals reside or to the top 15 metropolitan areas where they are concentrated. Conclusions. If the recommendations are implemented, several coordinated multisite, multiwave epidemiologic surveys can be conducted using standardized interview instruments and data collection procedures that will capitalize on the geographic distribution of Asian/Pacific Islanders.