U.S.-born Asian Americans no longer the healthiest group among older adults

For the first time in two decades, older Asian Americans are no longer the healthiest U.S.-born aging racial group with the lowest rates of disability, according to a study published last month in the Journals of Gerontology.

For the first time in two decades, older Asian Americans are no longer the healthiest U.S.-born aging racial group with the lowest rates of disability, according to a study published last month in the Journals of Gerontology.

The report, which focused on adults ages 50 and older, used prevalence of disability as an indicator for overall health.

The paper shows that while disability rates have decreased among aging adults in every racial group, they have remained unchanged among U.S.-born Asian Americans. The findings suggest that one contributor to the stagnating disability rate is income inequality, which has affected Asian Americans more than any other group in recent years.

Previous research had found that both foreign-born and U.S.-born Asian older adults had lower mortality and disability rates than their counterparts in other racial groups. According to the new report, non-Hispanic white Americans have overtaken Asians Americans as the healthiest U.S.-born population, with the lowest disability prevalence.

“This study shows that the ‘model minority’ stereotype is wrong about the overall experience of U.S.-born older Asians in terms of health,” said lead author Leafia Ye, an assistant sociology professor at the University of Toronto.