Discrimination and Stress Among Asian Refugee Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Bhutanese and Burmese Refugees in the USA

Overview

Journal J Racial Ethn Health Disparities

Specialties Public Health
Social Sciences

Date 2021 Mar 2

PMID 33651371

Citations 14

Authors

Mengxi Zhang

Ashok Gurung

Philip Anglewicz

Kalpana Baniya

Katherine Yun

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: To measure COVID-19 pandemic-related discrimination and stress among Bhutanese and Burmese refugees in the USA and to identify characteristics associated with these two measures.

Methods: From 5/15-6/1/2020, Bhutanese and Burmese refugee community leaders were invited to complete an anonymous, online survey and shared the link with other community members who were English-proficient, ≥18 years old, and currently living in the USA. We identified characteristics associated with pandemic-related discrimination and stress applying ordinal logistic regression models.

Results: Among 218 refugees from 23 states, nearly one third of participants reported experiencing at least one type of discrimination, and more than two-thirds experienced at least one type of pandemic-related stress. Having had COVID-19, having a family member with COVID-19, and being an essential worker were associated with discrimination. Discrimination, financial crisis, and female gender were associated with stress.

Conclusions: Reducing pandemic-related discrimination should remain a priority, as should the promotion of social support and coping strategies. Noting that this is a nonrepresentative sample, we recommend that larger national studies tracking experiences with pandemic-related discrimination and stress include Asian American subgroups with limited English proficiency.

Citing Articles

Direct and Vicarious Experiences of COVID-19-Related Racism Across Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States.

Cho Y, Sherchan J, Fernandez J, Barlow S, Strassle P, Forde A J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024; .

PMID: 39565547 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-02159-x.

Racial Discrimination and Interpersonal Violence in Asian American Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Lu Y, Baumler E, Wood L, Le V, Guillot-Wright S, Temple J J Adolesc Health. 2023; 74(2):246-251.

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Benavente P, Ronda E, Diaz E Int J Equity Health. 2023; 22(1):220.

PMID: 37848919 PMC: 10583456. DOI: 10.1186/s12939-023-02013-2.

Anxiety and Stress Related to COVID-19 Among the Community Dwelling Older Adults Residing in the Largest Refugee Camp of the World.

Anwar A, Yadav U, Huda M, Das S, Rosenbaum S, Ali A Community Ment Health J. 2023; 59(6):1181-1192.

PMID: 36879112 PMC: 9988202. DOI: 10.1007/s10597-023-01101-5.

The experiences of UK-Chinese individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative interview study.

Al-Talib M, Bailey P, Zhou Q, Wong K PLoS One. 2023; 18(1):e0280341.

PMID: 36649253 PMC: 9844865. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280341.

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