Almost half of all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are having problems accessing health care, with many skipping out because of high costs.
that cultural understanding plays a major role in breaking down some of the barriers noted in the study. With many in the AAPI community unable to afford health care, skipping checkups has become an all too common problem. Some 34% are postponing getting treatments and 37% are outright skipping regular checkups, a problem that only“We have to believe in the notion of preventative care and dealing with issues upfront before someone has to go to the emergency room. But it’s not that easy,” he said. “People can’t afford or can’t find transportation. Housing costs a lot of money.
“For preventable diseases like diabetes, there is a lack of understanding about preventive care and the importance of that. There’s a cultural way of thinking amongst the people,” she said. “So there’s, there needs to be more encouragement to preventative medicine, especially people who have insurance, people with health insurance.”It’s not just the AAPI community that’s struggling to access health care.
People lack access to health care for multiple reasons, Malik said. Some do not have legal immigration status and are afraid to go to the hospital. She has also worked with those who are between jobs and don’t have health insurance coverage or got injured while visiting from overseas.Dr. Ibraheem Abbas, who volunteers at the center, said many of his patients seek services from the clinic because of the cost of medication and preventative screenings.