Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in the United States are grappling with significant mental health barriers, exacerbated by a rise in anti-Asian incidents and discrimination, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gilbert Gee, a professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, emphasizes that discrimination and unfair treatment are linked to major depressive disorders, clinical anxiety disorders, and mood disorders, taking a substantial toll on mental health.
The AAPI community, comprising over 22.6 million individuals with more than 40 distinct ethnicities, exhibits variability in mental health conditions and needs. For instance, 33% of Korean American adults experience symptoms of depression, while the rate is 16% among Chinese Americans. Filipino American women report higher rates of excellent mental health compared to their Chinese American counterparts.
Second-generation Asian Americans show higher rates of psychopathology than first-generation immigrants, and sociohistorical factors, racism, and bias significantly impact trauma, PTSD, and mental health-seeking behaviors among AAPI veterans.
Systemic challenges such as stereotypes, language barriers, and lack of insurance further impede access to mental health services for AAPIs. The model minority myth, which portrays Asian Americans as uniformly successful, contributes to isolation, bullying, and mental health issues, particularly among youth. Despite the Affordable Care Act’s reduction in uninsured rates, about 7% of Asian Americans and 9% of Pacific Islanders remain without insurance.
To address these disparities, recommendations include expanding coverage, providing free access to mental health and substance use disorder services, and hiring more AAPI psychologists. Dr. Brandon Ito, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at UCLA, highlights the cultural complexities in mental health care for AAPI families, suggesting that inclusive family interventions could be beneficial.
Overall, the AAPI community’s mental health is influenced by a complex interplay of cultural values, systemic barriers, and the current socio-political climate, necessitating culturally sensitive and comprehensive approaches to mental health care and policy.
“Confronting mental health barriers in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community” (May 9, 2023)
