We are a group of San Francisco Bay Area health professionals and UC Berkeley undergraduates/alumni. In 2008, 42% of students on campus were Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI), yet there was not a single academic course devoted to the study of health in the AAPI communities. Thus, the AAPI Health Research Group was formed in 2008 to fill this void. We have been conducting classes (AAS/ASAMST 9
8/198) listed under the Asian American Studies Department since 2008 until 2020, when we held our first official 4-unit class, ASAMST 190: "Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Community Health: Foundational Theories & Contemporary Issues" taught by Joe Lee, MSHA. 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. Students who come from these diverse background can be an important conduit in raising our awareness of health problems that exist in these communities. This can foster a deeper understanding of health in the AAPI community.
