Background: Asians and Asian Americans in the USA have historically and continue to experience everyday and major forms of discrimination. However, much less is known, on a population-level, concerning the relationship between experiences with major discrimination and health outcomes among this racial/ethnic minority group, while also accounting for the daily influence of everyday discrimination. This analysis explores the concurrent association of both forms of discrimination among the Asian population in the USA.
Methods: Using data from the 2016 National Asian American Survey, a nationally representative sample of Asians from 10 ethnic subgroups, I examined the association between various forms of self-reported encounters with major as well as everyday discrimination-several of which relate to the unique, racialized experiences of Asians-and self-rated health. I ran three weighted logistic regression models examining the individual and concurrent association between major and everyday discrimination and self-rated health, controlling for relevant demographic and acculturation factors.
Results: When assessed in isolation, unit increases in major and everyday discrimination were associated with poorer self-rated health. However, when examined concurrently, only higher levels of encounters with major forms of discrimination were associated with higher odds of poorer self-rated health.
Conclusions: Although everyday discrimination contributes to poorer health outcomes among Asians, a finding consistent with past research, instances of lifetime major discrimination should be viewed as a more toxic form of discrimination that may more negatively impact their perceived health status. Reducing instances of structural-level discrimination is therefore key toward the prevention of poorer health outcomes among this rapidly growing racial/ethnic minority group.
Keywords: Asian Americans; Asians; Discrimination; Health; Self-rated health.