title: Physical, behavioral, and mental health issues in Asian American women: results from the National Latino Asian American Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asian American women's health has been understudied while the Asian American population is increasing. The purpose of this study was to examine the physical, behavioral, and mental health of Asian American women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a nationally representative sample (n=1097) from the National Latino Asian American Study (NLAAS), the first comprehensive epidemiologic survey in the United States, we examined the annual rates of behavioral, physical, and mental healthcare service use, including general medical, specialty mental health, and any medical services, in three major subgroups of Asian American women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Health problems varied with three major subgroups of Asian American women. In physical health, Chinese American women reported the highest rates of headache, other pain, hypertension, heart diseases, heart attacks, chronic lung diseases, and asthma. Vietnamese American women reported the highest rates of ulcer, stroke, and diabetes. Filipino American women had the highest rates of cancers and epilepsy. In behavioral health, Filipino women ranked highest on all types of drug use and cigarette smoking, compared with their counterparts. In mental health, Filipino American women reported significantly better mental health self-rating compared with their Chinese and Vietnamese American counterparts. Asian American women from each ethnic group sought health services at distinct rates. However, the help-seeking patterns of health services are similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asian American women encountered various physical, behavioral, and mental health problems, yet they had low rates of seeking healthcare services. Hence, it is critical to further examine factors associated with the underestimation of physical and mental health problems and underuse of health services by Asian American women.
authors.affiliation: Snohomish County Y, Everett, WA 98206, USA. hbappel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Hoa B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Appel
authors.forename: Bu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Chyongchiou Jeng
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult