Caring for Asian immigrants: tips on culture that can enhance patient care.

Though often considered a “model minority,” Asian immigrants pose significant challenges for Western health care providers, including radically different ideas of disease causation, differing communication styles, and somatic presentations of mental illness. Asian diversity is tremendous, but several cultural trends are held in common: strong family structures, respect, adaptability, and, for first generation immigrants, widespread use of traditional therapies. While Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) represent only 5.6% of the US population, or 17.3 million people, that figure represents a 46% increase between 2000 and 2010, the most rapid for any ethnic group. A 79% increase is anticipated by 2050, bringing Asians to 9.3% of the US population. In order of population, API subpopulations include Chinese, Filipinos, Asian Indians, Vietnamese, Koreans, and Japanese. More than half of Asian Americans reside in the states of California, New York, and Hawaii, although enclaves exist in most major cities. Addressing the health needs of Asian immigrants in an increasingly diverse society mandates that US physicians develop the necessary skills to communicate, even when expectations for care may be very different. Fortunately, excellent resources are available (taBle 1).