Mistreatment in Medical Care and Psychological Distress among Asian Americans

Although studies have shown that discrimination is linked to poor mental health, less is known about this relationship in the context of healthcare and how it varies for different Asian subgroups. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between mistreatment in medical care and psychological distress among a diverse sample of Asian Americans. Data were drawn from the 2015-2017 California Health Interview Survey. A series of regression models were estimated to test the association between mistreatment in medical care and psychological distress. Various Asian subgroups showed different levels of psychological distress. Mistreatment in medical care was also linked to worse mental health. Findings, however, did not show significant differences in the interaction between mistreatment and ethnicity on psychological distress. This study advances knowledge on the experiences of Asian Americans and contributes to the literature showing the impact of discrimination on mental health.