Mission: AAPI Health Research Group was formed in the spring of 2008. The purpose is to encourage students to engage in AAPI community health research in the following five areas:

 

1. diversity of the AAPI communities

2. historical perspective

3. epidemiological perspective

4. medical perspective

5. social change

 

We are a group of San Francisco Bay Area health professionals and UC Berkeley undergraduates/alumni. On this campus where 42% of students are Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) in 2008, there was not a single academic course devoted to the study of health in the AAPI communities. The AAPI Health Research Group was formed in 2008 to fill this void.

We have been conducting classes (AAS 98/198) under the auspices of Asian American Studies since 2008. The purpose of this website is to share our journey and findings in AAPI community health with other students and community professionals who may wish to join us or contribute to the work.

 

There are many national health advocacy agencies as well as local community health service providers. We attempt to bring the expertise of these frontline professionals and organizations to undergraduate students. At the same time, we plan to develop a research grid that will highlight areas of needed research. We hope this research grid will provide ideas and impetus for student research.

 

Although the aggregate data for our community paint a picture of a healthy population, we know that good health is not enjoyed by all. Our community is not homogeneous. The diversity of the many ethnic groups that make up the AAPI community presents challenges in obtaining accurate data.