Staten Island Asian Population Ranked by Neighborhood, Health Trends in City Report
STATEN ISLAND, NY — Data collected by the city’s health department shows, for the first time, health trends unique to certain subsets of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) population across the five boroughs. In addition to a breakdown of Chinese, Indian, and other API subset populations by Staten Island neighborhood.
The report, released on Friday, disaggregates the population by ancestry, providing deep insight into the health of specific API communities, according to a press release issued Friday by the Department of Health.
“Asians and Pacific Islanders are not a monolith,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, who is the city’s first Asian-born health commissioner. “Our health data should reflect the breadth of ancestry present in API communities across our city, so we can better understand and address health inequities.”
From 2010 to 2020, Staten Island residents identifying as Asian grew from about 34,000 to nearly 59,000 in 2020, an increase of 74%, according to census data.
Health officials said the report released Friday is part of a larger series of studies detailing the health needs of specific populations of New Yorkers, including older adults and Latinos(a) New Yorkers. .
API HEALTH DATA
Among the most notable health issues among subsets of the citywide IPA population.
- The prevalence of high blood pressure ranges from 15% among people of Korean ancestry to 31% among those of Indian ancestry.
- Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption rates among API ancestry groups range from 7% among East Asian adults to 28% among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander groups.
- Among Asian ancestry groups, a greater proportion of Indian adults report needing medical care but do not receive it compared to Chinese adults.
Studies examining the IPA population seek in part to further dispel the “model minority” myth that suggests all IPAs “are experiencing unprecedented health, economic and academic success,” health officials have said.
The report also comes amid a recent spike in alleged hate crimes against East Asians in New York City.
A map included in the city’s health department report on health trends among Asian and Pacific Islander population subsets shows the prevalence of groups across Staten Island. (Courtesy of the City Health Department.)
DISTRIBUTION BY DISTRICT ON SI
A map included in the city’s report on health trends among subsets of the API population shows the prevalence of groups across Staten Island.
Each dot on the map represents 100 people, according to the report.
Among the most notable findings is the lack of Japanese, Vietnamese and Bangladeshi residents on the island. While the most populated API subsets, at most or least, are Chinese, Indian, and Pakistani.
Additionally, there appears to be a more concentrated Chinese population in the northeast part of the borough, while the Indian population is mostly relegated to the northern and western shores.
