Racism affects 40 pct of Asian New Zealanders: study

WELLINGTON, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Forty percent of Asian New Zealanders have experienced racism since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with temporary migrants, students, and those living in rural communities more likely to experience the anti-Asian hate.

A study published on the New Zealand Medical Journal on Friday showed experiences of racism correlate with depression, anxiety, and low life satisfaction, and so their results indicate where anti-racism interventions are most needed.

"In New Zealand and globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted racism in our society, including targeted anti-Asian hatred," said the study's first author Rebekah Jaung from the University of Auckland.

The study describes experiences of racism for Asian people in New Zealand and the association between these experiences and life satisfaction during the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These findings inform authorities that anti-racism action should be included in efforts to ensure the wellbeing of Asian communities in the COVID-19 pandemic context, Jaung said.

The study shows racism mainly occurs in public places, social media and mainstream media. Verbal attacks and microaggressions are predominant types of racism.

It has collected 1,452 responses through a cross-sectional online survey conducted in 2021.

The study stresses the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the associated surge in anti-Asian racism on the wellbeing of Asian people living in New Zealand is not well documented in existing government reports.