Asian Americans are becoming the largest race in the United States. However, many underlying problems are facing this race. One of the most serious problems in Asian American community is their access to mental health.
The Booming Growth of Asian American Population
Asian Americans are a race that has over two decades of a lifetime. In 1765, Louisiana was the destination for the first Filipino Americans to set foot. They founded the first Filipino American communities by establishing eight towns in Louisiana’s bayous. After that, due to their subsequent intermarriage with nearby Cajun and Creole families, there were eight to ten generations of Filipino Americans.
The first Asian American community appeared in 1765 and the term “Asian American” was first coined in 1968. Although people used “Asian American” in activist and academic circles, it took decades to gain popularity nationwide. This phrase was a turning point in bringing together individuals of Asian origin and forging an official community.
From Louisiana, after two decades, the Asian American community is now distributed all over the country. The number of Asian Americans in the country is around 20 million, or 5.6% of the entire population. Between 2000 and 2015, the number of Asian Americans increased by 72%, from 11.9 million to over 20 million. They are quickly becoming the largest immigrant group in the country, as seen by their rapid demographic rise.
The mental health of Asian American
Although achieving some great accomplishments in other fields, mental health is still a concerning issue for Asian Americans. In 2011, according to the NAMI report, Asian American girls had the highest rate of depression. The suicide rate among young Asian American women aged 15 to 24 was greater than that of other racial/ethnic groups. In addition, suicide was the fifth most common cause of death overall among Asian Americans, compared to the ninth most common among white Americans. Asian American women over the age of 65 had the largest suicide rate.
Additionally, compared to non-Hispanic white male students in grades 9–12, Asian American male students had a 30% higher likelihood of considering suicide. On the other hand, 10.5% of Asian American men aged 25 to 44 died by suicide. Non-Hispanic White Men had a death rate by suicide three times higher, at 35.8, with the same age range.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), associated with trauma suffered both before and after immigration to the United States, was a danger for Southeast Asian refugees. Approximately 70% of Southeast Asian refugees undergoing mental health treatment had PTSD.
Refusing to receive health care service
What raises a more serious problem is the fact that Asian Americans do not seek mental health treatment. In 2019, only 4.8% of Asian Americans received prescription medications for mental health services. Moreover, the percentage of Asian Americans with past year major depressive episodes receiving treatment for the depression was 51.7 while the one for non-Hispanic White was 70.2%.
Compared to other racial groups, Asian Americans are three times less likely to seek therapy or assistance. Moreover, they are the race in the United States that seeks mental health services the least.
In the future, rejection to access health care services will cause detrimental effects on the Asian American community’s mental health. Acknowledging the roots of the problem including diversity and inclusion is critical to solving this problem. In the upcoming article, Balance Now will continue to discover the elements that prevent Asian Americans from receiving mental medical treatment.
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