Asians comprise 5% of the population in the United States but experience certain health disparities more than non-Hispanic whites and African Americans. For example, according to a 2010 study, only 8.6% of Asian Americans sought any type of mental health services or resource compared to nearly 18% of the general population. Also, Asian Americans account for more than 50% of Americans living with chronic hepatitis B.

Why do Asian Americans tend not to discuss mental health disorders with their physicians? Why does hepatitis B affect Asian Americans in disproportionate amounts? We want to address these questions in this year’s Region V conference. We’ve organized a series of talks, panels, and workshops to allow you to meditate on disparities facing Asian Americans in the health care system, both from the perspective of the patient and the provider. And more importantly, we want to provide the opportunity for you to discuss what we can do to combat these disparities. We have also invited speakers to reflect on how their ethnic identities have influenced their careers and lives. The intention of the 2016 APAMSA Region V Conference is a call to action to address Asian American health disparities in your future practice.