The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum is a national advocacy organization dedicated to promoting policy, program, and research efforts for improving the health status of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. This book was stimulated by the ideas and efforts of the Forum's National Research Advisory Council (NRAC).

First convened in April 1989, the NRAC was formed in response to the poor quality of data, the paucity of health statistics, and the limited epidemiological and health services research on Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.

With partial support from the Federal Office of Minority Health, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum selected three editors noted for their contributions and past compilations of scholarly work. The Forum also commissioned contributors with demonstrated experience and commitment to advancing the understanding of Asian and Pacific Islander American health in the service, research, and policy sectors.

This book is a milestone effort reflecting the Forum's commitment to (a) community-based research; (b) building linkages and collaborations between academic researchers, service providers, and policy-makers; (c) advocating for institutional sanctions on improving data sources and research on Asian and Pacific Islander Americans; and (d) the dissemination of relevant information to diverse communities nationwide.