Prioritizing Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Health Equity Agenda

Abstract

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations are growing rapidly in the United States, yet AANHPIs remain understudied, overlooked, and misunderstood. During the COVID-19 pandemic, themes from the tragic history of anti-Asian bias and marginalization have resurfaced in a surge of renewed bigotry and xenophobic violence against AANHPIs. In this commentary, the authors discuss the role of medical schools in combating anti-Asian sentiment as an important step toward achieving health equity. Based on their collective expertise in health disparities research, medical education, and policy, they offer suggestions about how to disrupt the pattern of invisibility and exclusion faced by AANHPI populations. They consider ways that representative data, leadership in medical education, research funding, national policies, and broad partnerships can help address AANHPI health disparities.