Addressing the Health Communication Challenges facing Chinese American Immigrants

Abstract

Chinese Americans (C-As) comprise the largest subgroup (23%) of Asian American immigrants. C-As have made important contributions to the US culture and economy. In 2019, there were 5.4 million C-As living in the United States. Due to problems they often face with limited English language proficiency and other significant cultural barriers, it has been challenging for many Chinese immigrants to engage in effective health communication in the United States. Evidence shows that problems with patient-provider communication experienced by members of this population is often related to low levels of patient satisfaction, poor adherence with medical recommendations, low levels of health information seeking, and barriers to effective patient education. In this chapter, we examine the health communication challenges faced by C-As with a review of the literature on health communication among Chinese Americans, including our own studies, that have identified linguistic, cultural, structural, and other barriers that limit effective health communication among Chinese Americans. We also provide evidence-based recommendations and strategies to improve health communication among Chinese immigrants in the United States.