Racial Microaggressions and Self-rated Health Among Asians and Asian Americans

Abstract

Asians are currently the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the USA. Using community samples, previous research has explored the role of racial microaggressions on Asian health. Findings have shown these experiences have a negative effect on health. However, few have examined the health impact of specific types of microaggressions, particularly using nationally representative data. Using data from the 2016 National Asian American Survey, a nationally representative sample of Asians from ten ethnic subgroups, we examined the separate and concurrent effects of three types of racial microaggressions (microinsults, microinvalidations, microassaults) on self-rated health among Asian and Asian American adults aged 18 and older. Our results showed that several microaggressions, specifically those related to the “model minority” stereotype and the perceived foreignness of Asians, were associated with higher odds of poorer self-rated health status. Overall, our findings suggest that specific forms of microaggressions must be taken more seriously and viewed as social determinants of Asian health. Limitations of this study are discussed.