Prof. Hahm & Colleagues Call on NIH to Amplify Asian American and Pacific Islander Voices in Scientific Research
During the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian racism surged across the United States, sparking widespread harm and fear in Asian American, Native Hawiian and Pacific Islander (AA/NH/PI) communities. In response, Prof. Hyeouk Chris Hahm from BU School of Social Work and her colleagues co-founded the Coalition of AA/PI Investigators and Allies to address disparities in AAPI research, prevent anti-Asian racism, and mitigate its harmful effects. For the past four years, the group has presented to or contacted several major research institutions supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Now, the authors have published “Increasing the visibility of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders in substance use research: A call to action,” which culminates their recommendations to improve AAPI representation.
“AA/NH/PI may be one of the fastest growing racial and ethnic groups in the United States, but because of structural inequities, we have become invisible,” say the authors. “AA/NH/PI in substance use research is a community understudied, with investigators underfunded, and trainees under-supported.” This milestone in the group’s advocacy journey will help ensure that these communities are not overlooked in future health studies.
The authors provide concrete steps that NIH and other institutions can take, including:
- Attention to the underrepresentation of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in addiction research
- The disaggregation of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander data
- The adoption of demographic questionnaires with information on subgroup diversity and cultural history
- Increased support of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander research and investigators
- Targeted grants for substance use research
- Increased mentorship and networking opportunities for AAPI scientists
“Increasing the visibility of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders in substance use research: A call to action” was co-authored by Prof. Tanya C. Saraiya from the Medical University of South Carolina, and Profs. Denise Nguyen Hien and Sonali Singal from Rutgers University-New Brunswick.