The Health Impacts of COVID-19–Related Racial Discrimination of Asian Americans Extend Into the Workplace

The article, “Potential Impact of COVID-19–Related Racial Discrimination on the Health of Asian Americans” by Chen et al. provides critical context of the history of racism toward Asian Americans and underscores the impending health impacts of COVID-19–related discrimination on Asian Americans.¹ The treatment of Asian Americans as a monolith and the erasure of our experiences, issues, and needs cannot continue to be accepted. In their article, Chen et al. call for public health professionals and clinicians to heighten their awareness of historical and current anti-Asian bias as this global pandemic rages on.¹ With this letter to the editor, I hope to appeal to those of us who specifically work in occupational safety and health and industrial hygiene. The COVID-19–related racial discrimination of Asian Americans extends into and is exacerbated in the workplace. As practitioners and researchers, we must pay attention to this.

There is no question that Asian-owned businesses have suffered,¹ but Asian Americans in the workforce have also been affected by COVID-19. Although Asian Americans are only approximately 6% of the US population and labor market,¹ they represent large sectors of the workforce that are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 battle. For example, although Filipino Americans account for only 1.0% to 1.5% of the total US population,² they represent at least 28% of registered nurses and 30% of COVID-19 registered nurses’ deaths.³ The simultaneous indifference and racism toward our community leads to a mentality of Asian Americans in the workplace as invisible and disposable. Asian Americans are perceived as essential, quiet, and hardworking but expendable.

These types of circumstances compounded with the discriminatory treatment and workplace microaggressions that Asian Americans frequently experience^2,4,5 can result in negative psychosocial work factors that affect not only the organization’s health but also the individual health of Asian American employees. Discrimination in the workplace has been noted to lead to job strain, decreased job satisfaction, and turnover intention coupled with physiological deterioration.^6,7

Chen et al. urged that more data be collected on Asian Americans, and this is especially needed in occupational safety and health. As the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, this means our workforce presence is also increasing and we cannot continue to be an overlooked population that suffers in silence.