Regular Physician Access and Obesity Status Among Underserved Asian and Pacific Islander American Immigrants in Los Angeles.

This article examines the relationship between obesity status and regular physician access among underserved Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) immigrants in Los Angeles, focusing on a predominantly low-income, low English proficiency sample (n = 4,102) from health screenings conducted between 2011 and 2019. Contrary to general population trends, the study found that having a regular physician was independently associated with higher obesity rates, suggesting that care in this community is often sought reactively for existing health issues rather than proactively for prevention. Barriers such as language difficulties, cultural beliefs, limited health literacy, and financial constraints contribute to low preventative care utilization among underserved APIAs. The authors recommend culturally competent, linguistically appropriate interventions—including community health fairs and integration of traditional medicine providers—to improve preventative care engagement in this population.