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Citation
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Cheah CSL, Wang C, Ren H, Zong X, Su Cho H, Xue X. Pediatrics 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled xenophobia against Chinese Americans. We examined the rates of 6 types of COVID-19 racism and racial discrimination experienced by Chinese American parents and youth, and associations with their mental health.
Methods This self-reported survey study conducted from March 14th -May 31st, 2020, recruited a population-based sample of Chinese American families via phone, e-email, and social media. Eligible parent participants identified as ethnically-racially Chinese, lived in the United States, and had a 4- to 18-year-old child; their 10- to 18-year-old children were also eligible to participate.
Results The sample included 543 Chinese American parents (mean [SD] age, 43.44[6.47] years; 425 mothers [78.3%]) and 230 of their children (mean [SD] age, 13.83[2.53] years; 111 girls [48.3%]) participated. Nearly half of parents and youth reported being directly targeted by COVID-19 racial discrimination online (parents: 172[31.7%], youth: 105[45.7%]) and/or in person (parents: 276[50.9%], youth: 115[50.2%]). 417[76.8%] parents and 176[76.5%]) youth reported at least one incident of COVID-19 vicarious racial discrimination online and/or in person (parents: 481[88.5%], youth: 211[91.9%]). 267[49.1%] parents and 164[71.1%] youth perceived health-related Sinophobia in America and 274[50.4%] parents and 129[56.0%] youth perceived media-related Sinophobia. Higher levels of parental and youth perceived racism and racial discrimination were associated with poorer mental health in parents and youth.
Conclusion Healthcare professionals must attend to the racism-related experiences and mental health needs of Chinese American families, especially children/adolescents, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic via education and making appropriate mental health referrals. The long-term consequences of these experiences need further examination.
Language: en |