Chronicle of advocacy to increase AAPI focused objectives in Healthy People 2010: implications for tobacco-related data and research.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this chronicle is to illustrate key components of health polocy advocacy in increasing data availability and research for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). METHODS: Through the examination of the evolution of AAPI data in Healthy People 2000 to Healthy People 2010, this chronicle cites parallel and convergent advocacy by AAPI health advocates and tobacco advocates with key external factors that resulted in an increase in AAPI data included in Healthy People 2010. FINDINGS: In Healthy People 2000, there were eight objectives focusing on AAPIs. In Healthy People 2010, 98 objectives included some data for AAPIs and 120 objectives provided categorical reasons why AAPI data were not available. In Healthy People 2010, there was only one objective on tobacco use focusing on AAPIs. Healthy People 2010 includes 11 tobacco use objectives with either AAPI data or categorical reasons why the data were not available. Understanding why AAPI data are not available can direct advocacy efforts. CONCLUSIONS: The AAPI data improvements in Healthy People 2010 have provided useful information on data availability and strategy for data development at the national level. At the same time, the limitations of the national data (lack of AAPI ethnic specific data, data collected only in English) calls for more appropriate data collection and research at the local and regional level.