The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism
ObjectivesWe describe the perceptions and experiences of anti-Asian racism and violence and depression severity prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of Asian American (AA) adolescents and young adults.MethodsWe used data from the Young Asian American Health Survey (YAAHS), an onl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.958517/full |
| _version_ | 1828065323591401472 |
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| author | James Huynh Jessie Chien Amy T. Nguyen Delanie Honda Emily EunYoung Cho Maliya Xiong Tran T. Doan Thoai D. Ngo |
| author_facet | James Huynh Jessie Chien Amy T. Nguyen Delanie Honda Emily EunYoung Cho Maliya Xiong Tran T. Doan Thoai D. Ngo |
| author_sort | James Huynh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesWe describe the perceptions and experiences of anti-Asian racism and violence and depression severity prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of Asian American (AA) adolescents and young adults.MethodsWe used data from the Young Asian American Health Survey (YAAHS), an online-recruited sample of AA adolescents (ages 13–17) and young adults (ages 18–29 years) conducted during May 2021 to March 2022. We presented descriptive statistics examining the univariate distribution and bivariate relationships of depression severity, sociodemographic characteristics, and experiences and perceptions of anti-Asian violence.ResultsOur sample (n = 176) comprised AA adolescents and young adults from 17 Asian ethnicities. A quarter said that the frequency and/or severity of their personal experiences of anti-Asian harassment had increased since the pandemic started. 76% indicated feeling less safe now than before the pandemic. Two-thirds reported that their depressive symptoms have increased since the pandemic started. Participants who reported feeling less safe now than before the pandemic were more likely to report increased personal experiences with anti-Asian harassment and increased depression severity since the pandemic started than those who reported feeling as safe or safer before the pandemic (p < 0.01 for both).DiscussionFindings illustrate AA adolescent and young adults are experiencing multiple health and social crises stemming from increased anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge policymakers to strengthen data systems that connect racial discrimination and mental health and to institute prevention measures and anti-racist mental health services that are age- and culturally-appropriate for AA adolescent and young adults. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:12:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3aa133ba5e7d4ef2a9cad8c3fa511471 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:12:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-3aa133ba5e7d4ef2a9cad8c3fa5114712023-01-13T04:32:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-01-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.958517958517The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racismJames Huynh0Jessie Chien1Amy T. Nguyen2Delanie Honda3Emily EunYoung Cho4Maliya Xiong5Tran T. Doan6Thoai D. Ngo7Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesDepartment of Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesDarkness to Light, North Charleston, SC, United StatesiMentor, New York, NY, United StatesPopulation Council, New York, NY, United StatesWisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Associations, Wausau, WI, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of General Academic Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesPopulation Council, New York, NY, United StatesObjectivesWe describe the perceptions and experiences of anti-Asian racism and violence and depression severity prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of Asian American (AA) adolescents and young adults.MethodsWe used data from the Young Asian American Health Survey (YAAHS), an online-recruited sample of AA adolescents (ages 13–17) and young adults (ages 18–29 years) conducted during May 2021 to March 2022. We presented descriptive statistics examining the univariate distribution and bivariate relationships of depression severity, sociodemographic characteristics, and experiences and perceptions of anti-Asian violence.ResultsOur sample (n = 176) comprised AA adolescents and young adults from 17 Asian ethnicities. A quarter said that the frequency and/or severity of their personal experiences of anti-Asian harassment had increased since the pandemic started. 76% indicated feeling less safe now than before the pandemic. Two-thirds reported that their depressive symptoms have increased since the pandemic started. Participants who reported feeling less safe now than before the pandemic were more likely to report increased personal experiences with anti-Asian harassment and increased depression severity since the pandemic started than those who reported feeling as safe or safer before the pandemic (p < 0.01 for both).DiscussionFindings illustrate AA adolescent and young adults are experiencing multiple health and social crises stemming from increased anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge policymakers to strengthen data systems that connect racial discrimination and mental health and to institute prevention measures and anti-racist mental health services that are age- and culturally-appropriate for AA adolescent and young adults.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.958517/fullmental healthAsian Americansadolescentsyoung adultsanti-Asian racismharassment |
| spellingShingle | James Huynh Jessie Chien Amy T. Nguyen Delanie Honda Emily EunYoung Cho Maliya Xiong Tran T. Doan Thoai D. Ngo The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism Frontiers in Public Health mental health Asian Americans adolescents young adults anti-Asian racism harassment |
| title | The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism |
| title_full | The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism |
| title_fullStr | The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism |
| title_full_unstemmed | The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism |
| title_short | The mental health of Asian American adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti-Asian racism |
| title_sort | mental health of asian american adolescents and young adults amid the rise of anti asian racism |
| topic | mental health Asian Americans adolescents young adults anti-Asian racism harassment |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.958517/full |
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