The association between self-reported racial discrimination and 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders among Asian Americans nationwide

Abstract

Growing research finds that reports of discrimination are associated with mental health. However, many US studies are focused on regional samples and do not control for important confounders such as other stressors and health conditions.

The Adjustment of Asian American Families to the U.S. Context: The Ecology of Strengths and Stress

“…For example, racial discrimination is significantly correlated with depressive symptoms in Filipino, Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian eighth and ninth graders surveyed in California and Florida (Rumbaut, 1994). Similarly, racial discrimination is associated with greater risk for depressive and anxiety disorder in Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Asian Indians, Japanese, Korean, and Pacific Islanders (Gee, Spencer, et al, 2007). In addition, unfair treatment related to discrimination is associated with increased prescription and illicit drug use as well as alcohol dependency in Filipino Americans (Gee, Delva, & Takeuchi, 2007).…”

“…Asian Americans also were denied the rights to citizenship, suffrage, and due process under the law (Zia, 2000). For example, in 1923 in United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, the Supreme Court ruled that Asian Indians were ineligible for citizenship (Gee, Spencer, Chen, Yip, & Takeuchi, 2007). During World War II, Japanese Americans were put in internment camps and were treated as enemies (Zia, 2000).…”

“…While U.S.-born Asian Americans experienced the least language discrimination (0%), they still encounter racial discrimination (4%) (Yoo et al). Asian Americans continue to face employment and housing discrimination (Turner, Ross, Bednarz, Herbig, & Lee, 2003) as well as more severe issues, including hate crimes and racial profiling by law enforcement (Gee, Spencer, et al, 2007;Zia, 2000).…”

Social networks and alcohol consumption among first generation Chinese and Korean immigrants in the Los Angeles metropolitan area

“…These types of life events are associated with greater alcohol consumption among general populations in numerous studies, although the associations with alcohol may be mitigated by buffering factors, such as social support and coping resources (Veenstra et al, 2006) or exacerbated by poverty, racism, and other hardships (Gee, Spencer, Chen, Yip, & Takeuchi, 2007;Stockdale et al, 2007). Mulia and co-authors (2008a, b) reported that adverse experiences, such as poverty, racism, and other disadvantages, were associated with at-risk drinking and problem drinking among both minorities and whites.…”

The Relationship Between Critical Ethnic Awareness and Racial Discrimination: Multiple Indirect Effects of Coping Strategies Among Asian Americans

“…Some research findings based on a nationally representative data of Asian Americans have shown a strong association between RDEs and a variety of physical and mental disorders (Gee, Spencer, Chen, Yip, & Takeuchi, 2007;Kim, Chen, & Spencer, 2012). Similarly, several studies of various Asian American ethnic groups have revealed that RDEs are strongly related to symptoms of depression (Bernstein, Park, Shin, & Park, 2011), psychological distress (Syed & Juan, 2011;Yip, Gee, & Takeuchi, 2008), heavy drinking (Kim & Spencer, 2011), alcohol and other drug use disorders (Chae, Takeuchi, Barbeau, Bennett, Lindsey, Stoddard, et al, 2008;Gee, Delva, & Takeuchi, 2007), and smoking .…”