"If I Stay Quiet, the Only Person That Gets Hurt Is Me": Anti-Asian Racism and the Mental Health of Chinese-Canadian Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Isabella Ng, Carla Hilario, Jordana Salma
PMID 39410786WHAT IT FOUND
Chinese-Canadian youth linked pandemic racism to loneliness, anger, reduced self-worth, and stress.
They often stayed silent or avoided services because providers were expensive, lacked Asian representation, or had low cultural competence.
Key findings
01All participants described a relationship between their mental health and their experiences of racism.
02Participants described pandemic racism as more frequent and severe, including online and on public transit, and they used strategies such as ignoring, going along, confronting, or educating others.
03Many participants linked racism to loneliness, anger, stress, and reduced self-worth, and said cost and lack of providers of colour made them hesitant to seek help.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only nine English-speaking youth from Alberta were studied, so findings may not apply to Chinese-Canadian youth elsewhere or to those who do not speak English. The study used convenience and snowball sampling through research team networks, so participants may not represent all youth. It is a qualitative study of perceptions and experiences, not a test of any treatment or service. The authors self-identify as Chinese-Canadian or racialized visible minorities and have nursing backgrounds, which may influence interpretation.
Declared interests
No potential conflicts of interest and no financial support were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that anti-racism training improves youth mental health. It is a small qualitative study of experiences, not an intervention trial.