Many Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Adults May Face Health Care Access Challenges Related to Limited English Proficiency

Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Adults with limited English proficiency face barriers to healthcare access and health insurance coverage.

The Issue

Diverse languages spoken by Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) adults are rarely available as a language option in health systems and materials.

Key Findings

• More than one in four AANHPI adults had limited English proficiency (LEP) in 2019.

• Rates of LEP vary widely across AANHPI population subgroups. LEP rates were about 12 percent for NHPI adults and more than 40 percent for Chinese, Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Nepalese, and Burmese adults.

• More than half of AANHPI adults with LEP do not speak the top three common languages, leaving large gaps even with increased translation services.

Conclusion

Researchers determine there is a need for greater language accessibility for Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adults in healthcare settings and when enrolling in and renewing health insurance coverage. State- and local-level resources must be targeted to meet the specific language needs of each community.

About The Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.