TY - JOUR
T1 - Discrimination and Stress Among Asian Refugee Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
T2 - Evidence from Bhutanese and Burmese Refugees in the USA
AU - Zhang, Mengxi
AU - Gurung, Ashok
AU - Anglewicz, Philip
AU - Baniya, Kalpana
AU - Yun, Katherine
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge Parangkush Subedi, MPH and Curi Kim, MD, MPH from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement for their assistance in questionnaire development. None of the individuals acknowledged received compensation for contributions to the study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Asian Americans
KW - Bhutanese and Burmese refugees
KW - COVID-19 pandemic
KW - Discrimination
KW - Mental health
KW - Racism
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U2 - 10.1007/s40615-021-00992-y
DO - 10.1007/s40615-021-00992-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 33651371
AN - SCOPUS:85102053412
SN - 2197-3792
VL - 9
SP - 589
EP - 597
JO - Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
JF - Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
IS - 2
ER -