Piecing The Puzzle of AANHPI Mental Health: A Community Analysis of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Mental Health Experiences in California

Research continues to suggest that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) have some of the lowest rates of using mental health services compared to other groups — even amid histories of discrimination and rising fears of hate crimes in recent years.

What keeps more AANHPIs from seeking mental health care? Is it because even in their diversity, AANHPI communities share a common thread of cultural resilience?

Researchers from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) and AAPI Data will discuss their new study of this long-standing disconnect, which combines California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data disaggregated by various AANHPI subgroups paired with contextual and historical analyses and recommendations drawn from community leaders.

This novel approach allowed the researchers to account for the profound impacts the psychological toll from the pandemic and legacies of discrimination have had across generations of AANHPI communities.

By disaggregating data for a number of key AANHPI subgroups, they learned important information that could help lawmakers craft policy that does a better job reaching the people who need it.

Speakers will also share key insights about what tailoring mental health for AANHPI communities could look like to get more people the help they need.