PICTURE IMPERFECT - HIDDEN PROBLEMS AMONG ASIAN-PACIFIC ISLANDER ELDERLY

Asian Pacific Islander (API) elderly represent the fastest growing gro up of ethnic elderly in the United States, yet their social and health needs remain little understood in the field of ethnogerontology. Exis ting literature generally portrays API elderly as in equal or better h ealth compared to whites. However, aggregate API data cloud the bimoda l distribution in socioeconomic and health status. We review existing literature on API elderly, and examine selected national data to illus trate the effects of a bimodal distribution on our understanding of AP I elderly socioeconomic and health status. Implications for research a nd policy are discussed.