PAF Stands in Solidarity with the AAPI Community

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) stands in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and denounces violence and racism against all communities of color.  As advocates, our mission is to amplify the voices of those who face health inequities in our society. While our focus is on health care and the suffering caused by illness and disability, we recognize that much deeper, broader inequities can be the root causes of these problems.  During these past few weeks, we have witnessed our country again struggle with the pain of intense racism, poverty, violence, and hatred.

The recent spike in hate-related incidents against the AAPI community is especially concerning when considered against the larger pattern of racism against all communities of color. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism found that anti-AAPI hate crimes reported to police rose 149% between 2019 and 2020. According to experts, such incidents are likely underreported.

The communities PAF serves have long endured unequal access to care. Our work is grounded in the belief the everyone should have an equal opportunity to achieve good health. Research shows that the stress caused by racism and discrimination worsens health outcomes and shortens lives. It can cause distrust in the patient-provider relationship and lead to discrepancies in treatment pathways. The  practical problems we address and the specific populations we have served for more than 25 years through case management, financial assistance, education and training, health services research, and community outreach demonstrates our commitment to promoting equity and combating the many challenges created by social determinants of health.

At PAF, we want to ensure that equity is present in all we do as we help individuals in their pursuit of optimal health.