People avoid getting healthcare services because they can’t communicate with their providers, added Mairelise Robinson, program manager for Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California’s Health Access Project.

“The lack of access to language support has really limited healthcare options,” she said.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy at UC Riverside, said groups such as Chinese Americans, Korean Americans and Vietnamese Americans are less likely to get a health care appointment in a timely manner because of the lack of language access.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are among the fastest growing racial groups in the state, including in regions of Southern California, but the services have not caught up with the need,” he said.

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