Health

Health is defined as the absence of injury or illness. This definition incorporates multiple spheres of wellness including the physical, mental, spiritual, and social. To understand wellness of Asian Americans and within Asian American studies, the multiple dimensions of well-being, recovery, and healing need to be considered. Of utmost importance is to hear the voices of diverse Asian American communities in the process of comprehending the true meaning of wellness and health for Asian Americans. Although scholars in various disciplines have argued that race is not a valid biological or scientific concept, “race” and racialization continue to act as important social determinants of quality of life, health status, health care access, and quality of care for Asian Americans. In recent times, a growing number of public health scholars have documented and examined health issues that are critical in the Asian American community (Yoo, Le, and Oda 2013).