“Hate has chipped away at my sense of security”: A survey study of the impacts of anti‐Asian hate on the health of older Asians

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundSince the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic, older Asians have experienced a rise in racism and discrimination based on their race and ethnicity. This study examines how anti‐Asian hate impacts older Asians' mental, social, and physical health.MethodsFrom March 18, 2022 to January 24, 2023, we conducted a cross‐sectional survey study of community‐dwelling Asian/Asian American adults aged ≥50 years from the San Francisco Bay Area. Measures included perceptions of anti‐Asian hate; direct encounters with hate incidents; indirect experiences with hate incidents (e.g. knowing a friend who was a victim); reports of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and changes in daily activities; ways to address these issues; and discussions with clinicians about hate incidents.ResultsOf the 293 older Asians, 158 (54%) were Vietnamese and 97 (33%) Chinese. Eighty‐five (29%) participants were direct victims of anti‐Asian hate, 112 (38%) reported anxiety, 105 (36%) reported depression, 161 (55%) reported loneliness, and 142 (48%) reported decreased daily activities. Compared with those who were “not‐at‐all” to “moderately” worried about hate incidents, participants who were “very” to “extremely” worried experienced heightened anxiety (42% versus 16%), loneliness (30% versus 14%), and changes in daily activities (66% versus 31%), p < 0.01 for all. Most participants (72%) felt comfortable discussing hate incidents with clinicians; however, only 31 (11%) reported that a clinician had talked with them about these incidents.ConclusionBoth directly and indirectly, anti‐Asian hate negatively impacts older Asians' mental, social, and physical health. Clinicians have a role in addressing the health impacts of anti‐Asian hate.