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Asian Americans and Lung Health

The American Lung Association pays tribute to the history, heritage and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander people in the United States.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May1 - June 1) is a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

Educational Webinar

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and Lung Health

While "AAPI" populations are diverse and expansive in language, regions, and cultural practices, non-profits and government organizations continue to combine these different groups together, which has further contributed to health disparities. In this webinar, Rod Lew from APPEAL and Kim Birnie from Papa Ola Lokahi will discuss the difficulties in grouping "AAPI" populations in public health outreach and discuss why data disaggregation is important to reducing health inequalities.
Listen Here

Lung Health and Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Asian Americans/Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders. Within this population, Hawaiian men and women have the highest rates of lung cancer deaths. Filipino men and women have the lowest rates of lung cancer deaths.1

National data on the rate of new lung cancer cases among specific Asian populations is limited. Nationally, rates are significantly lower among AAPIs compared to white and Black Americans for both men and women. Ultimately, AAPI men have the 3rd highest rate of new lung cancer cases, after Black men and white men respectively (more than Latino and Indigenous (American Indian/Alaska Native) populations). Rates of news cases, per 100,000 are as follows:3

  • AAPI men - 46.2
  • White men - 62.2
  • Black men - 71.2

Like other racial and ethnic groups, AAPI women are significantly less likely than men to be diagnosed with lung cancer. The disparity between the sexes is greatest for Black Americans and AAPIs, with AAPI men being about 62% more likely than AAPI women to be diagnosed with lung cancer.3

Learn more in our State of Lung Cancer Report.

Created with Highcharts 10.2.1Rate per 100,000Chart context menuRate of New Lung Cancer CasesSource: NCI SEET CSR 1975-2017FemaleMaleHispanicAmerican Indian/​Alaska NativeAsian/​Pacific IslanderBlackWhite051015202530354045505560657075
Flu & Pneumonia

Pneumococcal vaccination rates are significantly lower among Filipinos than non-Asians, and significantly lower among other Asians, Asian Indians, and Chinese compared to Filipinos. Pneumococcal vaccination rates do not vary significantly by sex among Asian populations nationally.1

In 2018, Asian Americans had the highest rate of influenza vaccination, and the second lowest death rate among racial and ethnic groups. Data are not available for more specific Asian populations due to limited sample sizes and survey limitations.i 

Learn more about the flu and pneumonia.

Created with Highcharts 10.2.1Chart context menuPneumonia Shot EverSource: National Health Interview Survey, 2014-2018​​​​​ChineseFilipinoAsian IndianOther AsianNon Asian0%5%10%15%20%25%30%
Created with Highcharts 10.2.1Rate per 100,000Chart context menuInfluenza Vaccination and Death RatesSource: National Health Interview Survey, 2018. CDC WONDER, 2018Vaccination (Percent)Death Rate (Age-Adjusted per 100,000)AsianWhiteAmerican Indian/​Alaska Native3Black024681012141618202224262830323436384042444648505254
Asthma

Asthma rates are lower for Asian than non-Asian populations, except for Filipinos and Japanese in California, who are statistically like non-Asians nationally. Asthma rates do not vary significantly by sex for most Asian populations. Asthma rates in the U.S. among AAPI communities:1

  • 228,000 Chinese 
  • 659,000 Filipino 
  • 283,000 Asian Indian*
  • 527,000 other Asian 
  • 40 million non-Asian
Created with Highcharts 10.2.1California (2015-2019)United States (2014-2018)Chart context menuAsthma (Ever Diagnosed)Sources: California Health Interview Survey 2015-2019. National Health Interview Survey, 2014-2018.JapaneseKoreanSouth AsianVietnameseChineseFilipinoAsian IndianOther AsianNon Asian0%5%10%15%20%
COPD

COPD rates are generally low among AAPI populations nationally. The rates also do not vary significantly by sex among Asian populations. Rates are significantly lower for Asian than non-Asian populations, but are significantly higher among Filipinos compared to other Asian populations. COPD rates among Asian and Pacific Islander Americans:1

  • 170,000 Chinese
  • 573,000 Filipino
  • 126,000 Asian Indian*
  • 449,000 other Asian
  • 54.8 million non-Asian
Created with Highcharts 10.2.1Chart context menuCOPD (Chronic Bronchitis or Emphysema)Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2014-2018​​​​​ChineseFilipinoAsian IndianOther AsianNon Asian0%1%2%3%4%5%6%

Wildfires and Lung Health

  1. NCI SEER CSR 1975-2017.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders and Tobacco Use. 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/disparities/asian-americans/index.htm.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey, 2014-2018.
  4. UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. California Health Interview Survey 2015-2019.
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