Cancer Is Leading Cause of Death among New York Chinese

Cancer has become a leading cause of death among Chinese New Yorkers, and alarmingly, lung cancer composes a large percent of that, reported ChinaDaily

33 percent of Chinese Americans in New York City died of cancer in 2014, compared to 25 percent of  all New Yorkers.  Lung cancer deaths increased by 70 percent among Chinese residents, yet declined 16.4 percent in the city overall  between 2010 and 2014.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released the health report last week.

Dr. Warren Chin, the executive director of the New York-based Chinese American Medical Society (CAMS), said the high smoking rate among Asian Americans contributes to the fatal rate among them.

“The smoking rate for Asian American men in New York City was 25.4 percent in 2015, the highest rate for all major race and ethnic groups in New York City,” Chin told Patch.com.

Chin also appealed to all his colleagues to reduce tobacco use in the city.

“All of us – physicians, hospitals, health clinics, the health department, community leaders and our elected officials – need to work together to reduce tobacco use in the community.”

City Council Member Margaret Chin told China Daily that the city has a pressing need for a culturally competent public health strategy.

“I pledge to work with (New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett) to promote wellness and prevention strategies, in addition to fighting for quality-of- life improvements that help our immigrant communities live longer, healthier lives.”

The city government is also working to spread an anti-smoking message in Chinese-language media outlets.

“We need more data like this out there, so we can increase awareness around these major health concerns, and then work together to provide the resources to communities where they are most needed,” Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, whose district includes Manhattan Chinatown, said in a statement.

Niou also said she would share data collected in the report with her colleagues in the state’s Asian Pacific American Legislative Task Force so they can “examine the best way to improve the overall health of Chinese-American New Yorkers.”

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