Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Self-Reported Racial Discrimination and Substance Use Among Asian Americans in Arizona

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined associations between different forms of self-reported racial discrimination and current substance use (i.e., smoking, alcohol use, and controlled substance use) among Asian Americans living in Arizona. The data are from 271 Asian American adults participating in the 2008 Asian Pacific Arizona Inititative (APAZI) Survey, which is part of a larger collaboration between community members, organizational leaders, and researchers. Asian Americans treated like they were not American because of their race were at increased risk of tobacco use, after controlling for covariates, including age, gender, education, family income, health insurance, nativity status, and language, and other types of racial discrimination. Also, individuals treated differently because of their race were at increased risk of alcohol use and controlled substance use, after controlling for covariates and other types of racial discrimination. The results indicate that Asian Americans experience a wide range of racial discrimination types and some forms of racial discrimination may have greater associations with tobacco, alcohol, and controlled substance use than others.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Harrell SP. A multidimensional conceptualization of racism-related stress: Implications for the well-being of people of color. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2000;70:42–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Myers HF, Lewis TT, Parker-Dominguez T. Stress, coping, and minority health: biopsychosocial perspective on ethnic health disparities. In: Bernal G, Trimble JE, Burlew AK, Leong FT, editors. Handbook of racial and ethnic minority psychology. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 2003. p. 377–400.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Brondolo E, Kelly PK, Coakley V, Gordon T, Thompson S, Levy E, et al. The perceived ethnic discrimination questionnaire: development and preliminary validation of a community version. J Appl Soc Psychol. 2005;35:335–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Lazarus RS, Folkman S. Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer; 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Terrell F, Miller AR, Foster K, Watkins CE. Racial discrimination-induced anger and alcohol use among Black adolescents. Adolescence. 2006;41(163):485–92.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Williams DR, Mohammed SA. Discrimination and racial disparities in health: evidence and needed research. J Behav Med. 2009;32:20–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Wu FH. Yellow: race in America beyond black and white. New York: Basic Books; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Liang CTH, Li LC, Kim BSK. The Asian American racism-related stress inventory: development, factor analysis, reliability, and validity. J Couns Psychol. 2004;51:103–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sue DW, Bucceri J, Lin AI, Nadal KL, Torino GC. Racial microagressions and the Asian American experience. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2007;13:72–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Acevedo-Garcia D, Lochner KA, Osypuk TL, Subramanian SV. Future directions in residential segregation and health research: a multilevel approach. Am J Public Health. 2003;93:215–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gee GC, Chen J, Spencer MS, See S, Kuester OA, Tran D, et al. Social suport as a buffer for perceived unfair treatment among Filipino Americans: differences between San Francisco and Honolulu. Am J Public Health. 2006;96:677–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Oberle A, Li W. Divergent trajectories: asian and latino immigration in metropolitan phoenix. In: Singer A, Hardwick S, Brettell C, editors. Suburban immigrant gateways: immigration and incorporation in New U.S. Metropolitan Destinations. Washington: Brookings Institution; 2008. p. 85–102.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kossan P. Arizona schools superintendent pushes ban on ethnic studies. The Arizona Republic. Accessed 12 June 2009.

  14. U.S. Census Bureau. The Asian population: 2000 (Internet release).2002. Available at: http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs.html. Accessed 10 June 2009.

  15. Noh S, Kaspar V, Wickrama KAS. Overt and subtle racial discrimination and mental health: preliminary findings for Korean Immigrants. Am J Public Health. 2007;97:1269–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Yoo HC, Gee GC, Takeuchi DT. Discrimination and health among Asian American immigrants: disentangling racial from language discrimination. Soc Sci Med. 2009;68:726–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Yang JS. Contextualizing immigrant access to health resources. J Immigr Minor Health. 2008.

  18. Miller CT, Kaiser CR. A theoretical perspective on coping with stigma. J Soc Issues. 2001;57:73–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Miller CT, Major B. Coping with stigma and prejudice. In: Heatherton TF, Kleck RE, Hebl MR, Hull JG, editors. The social psychology of stigma. New York: The Guilford Press; 2000. p. 243–72.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sher KJ, Levenson RW. Risk for alcoholism and individual differences in the stress-response-dampening effect of alcohol. J Abnorm Psychol. 1982;100:427–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Shiffman S. Relapse following smoking cessation: a situational analysis. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1982;50:71–86.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Wills TA, Shiffman S. Coping and substance abuse: a conceptual framework. Orlando: Academic Press Inc; 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Choi Y, Harachi TW, Gillmore MR, Catalano RF. Are multiracial adolescents at greater risk? Comparisons of rates, patterns, and correlates of substance use and violence between monoracial and multiracial adolescents. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2006;76(1):86–97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Bennett GG, Wolin KY, Robinson EL, Fowler S, Edwards CL. Perceived racial/ethnic harassment and tobacco use among African American young adults. Am J Public Health. 2005;95:238–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Borrell LN, Jacobs DR Jr, Williams DR, Pletcher MJ, Houston TK, Kiefe CI. Self-reported racial discrimination and substance use in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Adults Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;166(9):1068–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Brook J, Morojele N, Brook D, Zhang C, Whiteman M. Personal, interpersonal and cultural predictors of stages of cigarette smoking among adolescents in Johannesburg, South Africa. Tobacco Control. 2006;15(1):48–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Krieger N, Smith K, Naishadham D, Hartman C, Barbeau EM. Experiences of discrimination: Validity and reliability of a self-report measure for population health research on racism and health. Soc Sci Med. 2005;61(7):1576–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Landrine H, Klonoff EA, Corral I, Fernandez S, Roesch S. Conceptualizing and measuring ethnic discrimination in health research. J Behav Med. 2006;29(1):79–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Yen IH, Ragland DR, Greiner BA, Fisher JM. Workplace discrimination and alcohol consumption: findings from the San Francisco Muni Health and Safety Study. Ethn Dis. 1999;9(1):70–80.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Yen IH, Ragland DR, Greiner BA, Fisher JM. Racial discrimination and alcohol-related behavior in urban transit operators: findings from the San Francisco Muni Health and Safety Study. Public Health Rep. 1999;114(5):448–58.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Gibbons FX, Yeh HC, Gerrard M, Cleveland MJ, Cutrona C, Simons RL, et al. Early experience with racial discrimination and conduct disorder as predictors of subsequent drug use: a critical period hypothesis. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007;88(Suppl 1):27–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Romero AJ, Martinez D, Carvajal SC. Bicultural stress and adolescent risk behaviors in a community sample of Latinos and non-Latino European Americans. Ethnicity & Health. 2007;12(5):443–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Price RK, Risk NK, Wong NM, Klingle RS. Substance use and abuse by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: preliminary results from four national epidemiologic studies. Public Health Rep. 2002;117:S39–50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Zane NWS, Kim JH. Substance use and abuse. In: Zane ZWS, Takeuchi DT, Young KNJ, editors. Confronting critical health issues of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 1994. p. 316–45.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Chae DH, Gavin AR, Takeuchi DT. Smoking prevalence among Asian Americans: findings from the National Latino and Asian American Study (NIAAS). Public Health Rep. 2006;121:755–63.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Kim SS, Ziedonis D, Chen KW. Tobacco use and dependence in Asian Americans: a review of the literature. Nicotine Tob Res. 2007;9:169–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Lew R, Tanjasiri SP. Slowing the epidemic of tobacco use among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Amf Public Health. 2003;93:764–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. US Department of Health and Human Services. Tobacco Use Among US Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups-African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Ga: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1998.

  39. Grant BF, Dawson DA, Stinson FS, Chou SP, Dufour MC, Pickering RP. The 12-month prevalence and trends in DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: United States, 1991–1992 and 2001–2002. Drug Alcohol Dependency. 2004;74:223–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Gee GC, Delva J, Takeuchi DT. Relationships between self-reported unfair treatment andprescription medication use, illicit drug use, and alcohol dependence among Filipino Americans. Am J Public Health. 2007;97(5):933–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Chae DH, Takeuchi DT, Barbeau EM, Bennett GG, Lindsey J, Krieger N. Unfair treatment, racial/ethnic discrimination, ethnic identification, and smoking among Asian Americans in the National Latino and Asian American Study. Am J Public Health. 2008;98(3):485–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Chae DH, Takeuchi DT, Barbeau EM, Bennett GG, Lindsey JC, Stoddard AM, et al. Alcohol disorders among Asian Americans: associations with unfair treatment, racial/ethnic discrimination, and ethnic identification (the national Latino and Asian Americans study, 2002–2003). J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008;62(11):973–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Israel BA, Schulz AJ, Parker EA, Becker AB, Allen AJ, Guzman R. Critical issues in developing and following community based participatory research principles. In: Minkler M, Wallerstein N, editors. Community based participatory research for health. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 2003. p. 53–76.

    Google Scholar 

  44. The APAZI Coalition. The state of Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders in Arizona (online). 2008. Available at: http://apas.clas.asu.edu/pdfs/State_of_AAPI_in_AZ_2008.pdf. Accessed 10 June 2009.

  45. Gee GC, Ryan A, Laflamme DJ, Holt J. Self-reported discrimination and mental health status among African descendants, Mexican Americans, and other Latinos in the New Hampshire REACH 2010 Initiative: the added dimension of immigration. Am J Public Health. 2006;96:1821–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. National Institute of Drug Abuse. The Collection and Interpretation of Data from Hidden Populations. Rockville, MD; 1998. NIDA Research Monograph Series.

  47. Petersen R, Valdez A. Using snowball-based methods in hidden populations to generate a randomized community sample of gang-affiliated adolescents. Youth Violence Juv Justice. 2005;3:1541–2040.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Kalichman SC, Simbayi LC, Kagee A, Toefy Y, Jootse S, Cain D, et al. Associations of poverty, substance use and HIV transmission risk behaviors in three South African Communities. Soc Sci Med. 2006;62:1641–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Lee D, Turner N, Moon C. Association between Tobacco use and lifestyle in a sample of lower income Urban African-Americans in the American South. J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2008;6:155–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Satre DD, Kohn CS, Weisner C. Cigarette smoking and long-term alcohol and drug treatment outcomes: a telephone follow-up at five years. Am J Addict. 2007;16:32–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Richter L, Johnson PB. Current methods of assessing substance use: a review of strengths, problems, and developments. J Drug Issues. 2001;31:809–32.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Link BG, Phelen JC, Bresnahan M, Stueve A, Pescosolido BA. Public conceptions of mental illness: labels, causes, dangerousness, and social distance. Am J Public Health. 1999;89:1328–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Lewis TT, Everson-Rose SA, Powell LH, Mathews KA, Brown C, Karavolos K, et al. Chronic exposure to everyday discrimination and coronary artery calcification in African-American women: the SWAN Heart Study. Psychosom Med. 2006;68:362–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Barnes LL, de Leon CFM, Lewis TT, Bienias JL, Wilson RS, Evans DA. Perceived discrimination and mortality in a population-based study of older adults. Am J Public Health. 2008;98:1241–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Gee GC, Walsemann K. Does health predict the reporting of racial discrimination or do reports of discrimination predict health? Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth. Soc Sci Med. 2009;68:1676–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the Asian Pacific Arizona Initiative.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Asian Pacific American Studies, Arizona State University, PO Box 874902, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4902, USA

    Hyung Chol Yoo, Craig K. Lowthrop & Joanne Robertson

  2. Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Gilbert C. Gee

Authors
  1. Hyung Chol Yoo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gilbert C. Gee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Craig K. Lowthrop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Joanne Robertson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hyung Chol Yoo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yoo, H.C., Gee, G.C., Lowthrop, C.K. et al. Self-Reported Racial Discrimination and Substance Use Among Asian Americans in Arizona. J Immigrant Minority Health 12, 683–690 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-009-9306-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-009-9306-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation