Preventive Health Services Delivery to South Asians in the United States

There is limited information on the health status of South Asians. Our objective was to examine the delivery of clinical preventive
services to South Asian adults. We used data from a 2001 mail survey to a nationwide sample of South Asians. We quantified
the percentage of eligible adults who received screenings for colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, high blood
pressure, lipid disorders, and vaccinations against influenza, pneumococcus, and tetanus. We also calculated the number of
individuals who were up-to-date with all their recommended preventive healthcare. One-fourth of South Asians were up-to-date
with their recommended preventive services, while more than half were not up-to-date with their services. Having a regular
source of care was significantly associated with being up-to-date on recommended schedules. Despite their high level of education,
the majority of South Asians in the US are not receiving the appropriate amount of preventive health services.