Asians and Pacific Islanders

Abstract

The US census uses the term “Asians and Pacific Islanders” to encompass individuals with ethnic origins in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Subcontinent. Asians and Pacific Islanders account for approximately 5.6% of the US population, with the majority living in ten states: the states of California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, and increasing numbers settling in the states of Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina. And, although Asians and Pacific Islanders are frequently referred to as a single group, this group actually comprises more than 50 distinct subgroups that speak more than 100 different languages and dialects. The subgroups within this larger category are quite diverse with respect to other features as well. As an example, it has been estimated that 55% of Vietnamese persons older than 5years of age do not speak English at home, compared to 22% of Asian Indians. This diversity of language, culture, and socioeconomic conditions within the larger grouping of Asians and Pacific Islanders presents challenges in HIV/AIDS prevention efforts.