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Changing U.S. Demographics 15

Hispanic health is influenced by factors such as the language barrier, lack of access

to preventive care, and lack of health insurance. The leading causes of illness and
death among Hispanics are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries (accidents),
stroke, and diabetes. In addition, Hispanics are significantly affected by asthma,

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV/AIDS, obesity, suicide, and liver disease
(OMH, 2007).

Asians
The Asian population in the United States is not homogeneous, as it includes many
groups that differ in language and culture (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b). Asian refers
to people who have their origins in the Far East, in Southeast Asia, or on the Indian
subcontinent, including people from Cambodia, China, the Philippines, India, Japan,
Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Vietnam (Reeves & Bennett, 2003). According to the
2005 Census Bureau population estimate, there were over 14 million Asians living in
the United States in that year (OMH, 2007), with Chinese, Asian Indians, and Filipi-
nos accounting for about 60 percent of this population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b).
Moreover, in 2004, approximately 50 percent of the Asian population resided in three
states: California, New York, and Texas (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b).
The Asian population is younger on average than the non - Hispanic white popula-

tion. In 2004, Asians had a median age of 34.8, about five years younger than non -
Hispanic whites (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b). Moreover, Asians were more likely
than non - Hispanic whites to be married (62 percent) and to live in family households
(74 percent), with a higher percentage of households maintained by married couples
(60 percent). Although more than two - thirds of Asians were U.S. citizens, either
through birth or naturalization, approximately 68 percent of Asians were foreign born
(U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b). Most important, about 50 percent of foreign - born Asians
arrived in the United States after 1990, and about 77 percent of all Asians in the United
States spoke a language other than English at home. Moreover, the proportion of those
5 years of age and older who spoke a language other than English at home varied
among Asians: 88 percent of Vietnamese, 83 percent of Chinese, 66 percent of
Filipinos, and 47 percent of Japanese (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b).
When it comes to education, approximately 85 percent of Asians 25 years old and
older had at least a high school diploma and 48 percent had attained a bachelor ’ s degree
or higher level of education (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b). Among specifi c Asian sub-
groups, Asian Indians, Filipinos, Japanese, and Koreans had the highest percentages of
persons 25 years old and older with a bachelor ’ s degree or higher. Moreover, Asians
were more likely to be employed in management, professional, and related occupations
than were non - Hispanic whites, 45 versus 38 percent respectively. Among Asian sub-
groups, higher percentages of Asian Indians (61 percent), Chinese (52 percent), and
Japanese (48 percent) are employed in management, professional, and related occupa-
tions compared to other Asian subgroups (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007b). Finally, in
2005, the median income for Asian households was almost $ 15,000 higher than the
national median income for all households (OMH, 2007). Among Asian subgroups,

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