Asian Americans in the U.S.
Today, there are more than 8 million Asian Americans in the United States (US) , representing 5% of the U.S. population. Asian Americans constitute 5% of the total US population and are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the country. By the year 2050 there will be 33.4 million residents whose only race is Asian, which translates to a 213% increase, compared to a 49% increase in the U.S. population as a whole over the same period.
Asian Americans represent a diverse community comprising of more than 30 countries of origin and various cultures, traditional beliefs, religions, years in the US, degrees of acculturation, levels of English proficiency, and socioeconomic status.
New York City (NYC) is the home to nearly 1.2 million documented and undocumented Asian Americans, representing 10% of the total US Asian American population. The Asian American population in NYC is tremendously diverse, comprising of individuals representing more than 20 countries and 45 languages and dialects. Many of NYC’s Asian American populations experience high rates of limited English proficiency (LEP) and other language barriers. 
For more information on Asian American demographic characteristics in the U.S. and New York City, visit Asian American Federation of New York.
Despite these facts, Asian Americans remain poorly understood and are one of the most neglected racial/ethnic minority groups in the U.S. One of the biggest challenges to ensuring optimal health and well-being among Asian Americans is the “model minority myth” wherein Asian Americans are generalized to be self-sufficient, well-educated, hardworking, and upwardly mobile, and hence are thought to have easy access to health care, and are not considered to have the major health problems associated with poor socio-economic status and access to care. This is reinforced by the inadequate numerical representation of Asian Americans in national research studies, consequently rendering misleading conclusions about their health status . The misrepresentation of Asian American health disparities makes the work of CSAAH increasingly significant and timely.
