Category: Asian and Pacific Islander
Asian and Pacific Islander
The women of Asia and the Pacific Islands are the world’s largest demographic group, comprising over one quarter of humankind. They inhabit regions as diverse as cosmopolitan Taipei and Tokyo, snowy Himalayan peaks, and the tropical isles of the Philippines. Over 10,000 years ago, Asians journeyed across land bridges and the ocean to become the [...]
Health beliefs
Many Asian and Pacific Islander cultures have highly evolved health practices. Examples include acupuncture, Chinese herbal remedies, yoga, meditation, and Ayurvedic medicine, all of which are gaining increasing acceptance into mainstream America and being incorporated into Western medical practices. Whereas many Asian and Pacific Islander women are well informed about the offerings of Western medicine, [...]
Physical health
Asian American women have the highest life expectancy of any ethnic group in the United States, at 85.8 years. Issues of major concern with Asian and Pacific Islander American women include: higher rates of osteoporosis, hepatitis B infection, and tuberculosis (TB). Lower incidences of screening for breast and cervical cancers are also of concern. Osteoporosis [...]
Mental health
Suicide Whereas Western cultures view suicide as a religious sin, such a taboo does not exist in most Asian cultures. For traditional Chinese and Japanese, suicide can be seen as an honorable way to save face and to remove shame from one’s family. The Japanese language has over 20 words for suicide, mostly describing different [...]