Disaggregated Data and Beyond: Future Queries in Cancer Control Research

Abstract

The goal of health equity requires the collection and reporting of disaggregated data in underrepresented populations such as Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) communities. A recent Department of Health and Human Services report outlines the necessity for disaggregated data which would offer communities, providers and planners better tools to address health problems. In a recent collaboration, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and several registries published a series of papers tracking cancer incidence data on AA and NHOPI communities using data from the NCI’s Surveillance and Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program. The findings indicate a need for concentrated focus and planning for the next stages of cancer prevention and control for AA and NHOPI subpopulations. In this article, we provide (a) the context for the perpetuation of the model minority myth as well as historical and socio-cultural factors that have shaped health and disease for AA and NHOPI subgroups; (b) potential strategies for research and public health policy for AA and NHOPI groups using subpopulation-based approaches while addressing challenges and limitations; and (c) a portfolio analysis of currently funded projects within the NCI/DCCPS to identify gaps and areas of potential research.

Duration of US Residence Is Associated With Overweight Risk in Filipino Immigrants Living in New York Metro Area

“…The majority of research on US Filipinos derives from the West Coast, 24–26 and studies presenting on Filipino populations often aggregate the data with other Asian American groups. 41,42 …”

“…Thus aggregated analyses may mask any heterogeneity that exists among the different ethnic sub-populations. 41,42 …”

“…16 Aggregated analyses in Asians may mask any heterogeneity that exists among the different ethnic populations. 41,42 Thus, it is unknown whether the positive association between years in the US and obesity risk documented in previous research is present in US Filipinos, a population whose unique cultural history and migration experience might give rise to a different relationship.…”

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Identify Common Smoking Situations Among Korean American Emerging Adults

“…Cigarette smoking among Korean Americans (KAs) is of concern because it represents a key cancer-related health disparity relative to other Asian Americans (Nguyen, Chawla, Noone, & Srinivasan, 2014). For example, available smoking prevalence estimates for KA men are as high as 36.7% relative to 14.6% for Chinese American men (An, Cochran, Mays, & McCarthy, 2008).…”

Cancer Research in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Populations: Accelerating Cancer Knowledge by Acknowledging and Leveraging Heterogeneity

“…Finally, Nguyen and colleagues offer a commentary on the "model minority" myth and why it persists; a multilevel, historical, and life course context for sociocultural factors that shape health and disease for AANHPI populations; and a forward-looking perspective on the approaches and strategies to advance impactful research and public health policy for these populations while addressing methodologic concerns such as small sample sizes (30). They also present a portfolio analysis of grants from the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS), demonstrating the paucity of favorably reviewed and funded grants that focus on AANHPIs.…”