Disability Status Differentials across Different API Ethnic Groups and the Effect of Nativity and Duration in the U.S. : A Replication of Cho and Hummer’s 2001 Analysis

Annie Ro, University of Michigan
Gilbert C. Gee, University of California, Los Angeles

The current analysis has two aims: (1) to examine patterns of disability status across different Asian and Pacific Islander (API) groups using the 2000 Public Use Microdata Sample, and 2) to examine changes in API disability trends by replicating Cho and Hummer’s 2001 analysis from the 1990 PUMS. We use logistic regression models to test the differences in work, sensory, physical, mental, mobility and self-care disability status across 18 API groups. We also include an interaction term to test whether the effect of duration in the United States is the same across different ages. The distribution of socio-demographic variables among the API ethnic groups is still very similar, as are the disparities in disability status. It appears that immigrants have lower levels of some disability but higher levels in others, compared to the U.S.-born. There is limited support for a varied effect of duration on disability by immigrant age.