TABLE 3.
Responses (%) to COVID‐19 questions, overall and by Asian–American subgroup a
| Total | East Asian b | South Asian b | Southeast Asian b | Multi‐ethnic b | Asian Indian | Chinese/Cantonese | Filipino | Japanese | Korean | Taiwanese | Vietnamese | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (N) | 3018 | 1737 | 570 | 587 | 124 | 883 | 1078 | 322 | 293 | 251 | 221 | 112 |
| How has your work environment changed since COVID‐19? | ||||||||||||
| I did not work outside of the home, so no change | 26.5% | 27.1% | 28.9% | 23.5% | 21.8% | 27.0% | 25.8% | 23.6% | 33.2% | 18.6% | 27.7% | 23.1% |
| I worked outside of the home and still work outside of the home, so no change | 13.3% | 12.4% | 11.6% | 16.7% | 16.9% | 11.3% | 11.6% | 20.2% | 11.7% | 16.7% | 14.3% | 14.7% |
| I now do some of my work inside of the home | 11.0% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 9.0% | 10.5% | 12.2% | 10.7% | 10.2% | 11.5% | 17.2% | 10.7% | 8.4% |
| I now do all of my work inside of the home | 27.4% | 28.5% | 30.0% | 22.8% | 21.0% | 32.7% | 31.3% | 18.0% | 20.3% | 29.4% | 31.3% | 28.3% |
| My hours outside of the home have been decreased | 6.6% | 5.6% | 6.5% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 7.3% | 5.6% | 8.7% | 5.0% | 7.2% | 8.9% | 8.0% |
| My work has been closed or I have lost my job | 8.9% | 8.8% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 8.9% | 6.6% | 9.5% | 9.0% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 4.5% | 11.2% |
| Other/refused/missing | 8.6% | 8.4% | 4.9% | 11.1% | 13.4% | 3.9% | 5.7% | 13.4% | 15.4% | 3.3% | 3.7% | 8.3% |
| What did you buy specifically or more of than normal to prepare for COVID‐19? | ||||||||||||
| Dry cereal | 34.6% | 31.9% | 46.0% | 33.6% | 25.0% | 46.5% | 32.7% | 34.8% | 28.6% | 33.0% | 33.0% | 33.5% |
| Milk or milk alternatives | 33.1% | 15.8% | 51.6% | 34.2% | 37.1% | 50.7% | 29.5% | 35.1% | 19.1% | 33.0% | 19.6% | 33.5% |
| Other dairy foods | 9.6% | 4.5% | 15.4% | 9.5% | 13.7% | 16.2% | 7.3% | 11.2% | 7.2% | 10.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Beverages | 25.8% | 14.2% | 26.8% | 31.9% | 22.6% | 25.2% | 24.2% | 35.4% | 21.7% | 29.0% | 20.5% | 25.9% |
| Sugar | 18.6% | 7.4% | 34.2% | 20.8% | 23.4% | 34.7% | 12.2% | 22.0% | 13.4% | 17.2% | 8.9% | 21.9% |
| Flour | 27.4% | 14.5% | 39.6% | 23.9% | 31.5% | 40.9% | 25.3% | 27.0% | 22.9% | 24.0% | 28.6% | 23.5% |
| Fruit | 39.7% | 21.1% | 50.0% | 41.6% | 45.2% | 51.1% | 39.1% | 43.2% | 28.6% | 33.5% | 36.6% | 37.5% |
| Vegetables | 43.2% | 24.0% | 52.6% | 42.6% | 48.4% | 53.5% | 44.0% | 46.0% | 32.5% | 38.0% | 35.7% | 37.1% |
| Condiments | 11.9% | 5.4% | 16.8% | 15.0% | 16.9% | 16.2% | 9.5% | 18.3% | 7.2% | 11.3% | 8.0% | 8.8% |
| Fish and/or seafood | 22.4% | 12.2% | 20.0% | 30.8% | 22.6% | 19.5% | 22.8% | 31.7% | 14.8% | 17.6% | 20.5% | 23.9% |
| Oils | 19.5% | 9.3% | 29.1% | 21.0% | 25.0% | 30.3% | 16.2% | 21.4% | 13.4% | 17.6% | 17.9% | 17.9% |
| Butter or margarine | 19.0% | 9.7% | 23.7% | 22.7% | 20.2% | 24.1% | 15.3% | 28.6% | 19.8% | 19.9% | 11.6% | 15.1% |
| Frozen meals | 26.9% | 15.3% | 25.1% | 33.6% | 24.2% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 32.3% | 23.6% | 24.0% | 28.6% | 35.9% |
| Soups | 23.5% | 14.5% | 20.9% | 25.6% | 17.7% | 20.1% | 23.2% | 29.5% | 28.9% | 19.5% | 25.9% | 21.5% |
| Peanut or other nut butter | 19.9% | 10.9% | 20.0% | 25.0% | 20.2% | 21.2% | 18.8% | 29.8% | 18.6% | 18.1% | 16.1% | 21.9% |
| Nuts or seeds | 17.8% | 12.0% | 9.3% | 19.1% | 19.4% | 27.9% | 19.7% | 20.5% | 19.6% | 19.5% | 23.2% | 15.9% |
| Beans/legumes | 16.6% | 8.5% | 25.6% | 14.3% | 18.5% | 27.7% | 14.1% | 18.6% | 16.5% | 15.4% | 13.4% | 10.4% |
| Salsa | 10.0% | 4.5% | 14.7% | 11.8% | 16.1% | 15.7% | 7.2% | 14.9% | 8.4% | 9.0% | 7.1% | 9.2% |
| Crackers | 21.6% | 12.7% | 23.2% | 21.8% | 21.0% | 24.6% | 22.0% | 27.6% | 20.3% | 22.6% | 21.4% | 17.1% |
| Pretzels | 8.3% | 3.9% | 10.7% | 9.9% | 15.3% | 11.5% | 6.3% | 13.0% | 6.0% | 10.0% | 8.0% | 7.6% |
| Chips | 29.0% | 15.7% | 31.8% | 34.2% | 31.5% | 33.6% | 27.6% | 39.8% | 27.9% | 25.3% | 24.1% | 28.7% |
| Cheese | 22.6% | 11.3% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 24.2% | 29.4% | 20.0% | 35.7% | 20.0% | 17.2% | 16.1% | 17.1% |
| Meat | 34.3% | 21.1% | 23.3% | 41.1% | 41.1% | 22.6% | 39.0% | 50.0% | 29.4% | 33.0% | 32.1% | 31.9% |
| Tofu or meat‐substitutes | 14.8% | 9.5% | 12.1% | 13.8% | 19.4% | 11.1% | 16.9% | 13.4% | 11.5% | 16.7% | 20.5% | 14.7% |
| Bread | 31.0% | 16.4% | 38.4% | 34.2% | 33.9% | 38.1% | 28.9% | 40.7% | 24.6% | 28.1% | 27.7% | 29.5% |
| Rice | 41.5% | 24.0% | 40.9% | 45.5% | 47.6% | 40.7% | 41.5% | 50.0% | 38.9% | 38.9% | 37.5% | 42.6% |
| Chocolate or candy | 16.7% | 8.5% | 19.6% | 19.8% | 24.2% | 20.1% | 15.4% | 25.2% | 13.8% | 16.7% | 13.4% | 14.7% |
| Cookies or baked sweets | 13.8% | 6.4% | 18.2% | 18.4% | 14.5% | 18.6% | 12.1% | 20.5% | 9.8% | 12.2% | 8.0% | 16.7% |
| Breakfast bars or snack bars | 12.9% | 6.9% | 16.7% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 18.1% | 11.6% | 17.4% | 13.6% | 12.2% | 11.6% | 8.8% |
| Oatmeal, grits, or other cereal to cook | 16.7% | 9.4% | 16.3% | 19.8% | 19.4% | 17.5% | 16.0% | 24.5% | 14.6% | 18.6% | 16.1% | 14.7% |
| Eggs, egg whites, or egg substitutes | 35.7% | 20.9% | 32.8% | 41.2% | 35.5% | 32.1% | 37.8% | 45.7% | 31.0% | 31.7% | 33.9% | 33.9% |
| Ice cream or other frozen desserts | 18.5% | 10.1% | 21.8% | 19.8% | 21.0% | 23.0% | 18.3% | 24.2% | 14.1% | 22.6% | 12.5% | 17.9% |
| Popcorn | 12.4% | 6.1% | 16.0% | 14.7% | 16.1% | 17.0% | 10.5% | 20.8% | 11.0% | 12.7% | 8.0% | 8.4% |
| Pancake or waffles | 11.0% | 4.9% | 14.4% | 15.5% | 13.7% | 13.9% | 8.2% | 18.6% | 8.1% | 12.7% | 6.3% | 13.1% |
| Jellos, puddings, custards | 4.7% | 2.1% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 8.1% | 6.6% | 3.3% | 9.0% | 4.5% | 3.2% | 5.4% | 3.6% |
| Pasta, spaghetti, or other noodles | 29.4% | 18.4% | 22.6% | 31.0% | 35.5% | 22.6% | 31.2% | 38.2% | 33.2% | 32.1% | 26.8% | 24.3% |
| Syrup or honey | 9.1% | 3.9% | 15.6% | 9.9% | 12.1% | 17.0% | 6.2% | 13.4% | 5.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% | 6.8% |
| Other baking supplies | 8.6% | 4.4% | 10.0% | 9.5% | 15.3% | 10.4% | 7.6% | 11.2% | 8.8% | 10.0% | 7.1% | 10.0% |
| Other microwave/quick cook foods | 12.3% | 6.9% | 10.7% | 16.2% | 12.9% | 11.3% | 12.1% | 16.1% | 11.9% | 11.3% | 10.7% | 16.7% |
| Other processed and packaged ready to eat shelf‐stable foods | 12.9% | 8.1% | 8.9% | 14.8% | 15.3% | 10.6% | 13.4% | 15.2% | 15.5% | 16.3% | 14.3% | 16.7% |
| Other processed and packaged ready to eat refrigerated foods | 9.9% | 5.2% | 8.4% | 14.1% | 14.5% | 8.8% | 9.7% | 14.0% | 9.8% | 7.2% | 9.8% | 13.9% |
| Creamer or non‐dairy creamer | 8.5% | 4.6% | 7.2% | 12.1% | 10.5% | 7.5% | 7.7% | 16.5% | 9.3% | 10.4% | 8.9% | 7.6% |
| Alcohol | 10.5% | 6.5% | 9.5% | 10.1% | 12.1% | 10.6% | 8.3% | 11.5% | 16.7% | 15.4% | 10.7% | 9.6% |
| Other | 3.7% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 6.5% | 2.7% | 4.3% | 2.8% | 6.2% | 3.2% | 4.5% | 4.0% |
| Do you have enough money to buy the food you need during COVID‐19? | ||||||||||||
| I have enough money to buy the food I need | 77.2% | 84.0% | 69.3% | 67.5% | 64.5% | 70.8% | 82.9% | 68.0% | 88.3% | 77.4% | 86.6% | 69.7% |
| I have enough to buy some of the food I need | 17.2% | 12.7% | 24.7% | 22.1% | 23.4% | 24.3% | 13.6% | 21.7% | 9.1% | 16.3% | 11.6% | 21.1% |
| I do not have enough money to buy the food I need | 4.4% | 2.9% | 4.4% | 8.0% | 9.7% | 4.0% | 3.1% | 8.1% | 2.1% | 5.9% | 0.9% | 7.2% |
| Refused/missing | 1.1% | 0.5% | 1.6% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 0.9% | 0.4% | 2.2% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.9% | 2.0% |
| Compared to before COVID‐19, are you eating less, more, or the same? | ||||||||||||
| A lot less | 3.1% | 2.7% | 4.2% | 2.9% | 5.6% | 4.6% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 1.7% | 2.3% | 4.5% | 3.6% |
| Somewhat less | 17.9% | 16.5% | 23.5% | 14.5% | 27.4% | 22.3% | 17.0% | 15.5% | 16.0% | 17.2% | 19.6% | 15.1% |
| The same | 57.6% | 60.6% | 52.3% | 56.4% | 46.0% | 51.5% | 61.1% | 54.3% | 62.3% | 51.6% | 58.0% | 56.6% |
| Somewhat more | 17.2% | 17.0% | 16.0% | 19.4% | 16.1% | 17.3% | 16.0% | 20.8% | 16.5% | 25.3% | 15.2% | 18.7% |
| A lot more | 3.5% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 5.8% | 2.4% | 3.3% | 2.4% | 5.0% | 3.1% | 3.6% | 0.9% | 5.2% |
| Refused/missing | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 2.4% | 0.9% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 1.8% | 0.8% |
| Compared to before COVID‐19, how healthy is your overall diet? | ||||||||||||
| A lot less healthy | 3.7% | 2.7% | 5.4% | 4.3% | 8.1% | 6.0% | 2.7% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 0.9% | 6.0% |
| Somewhat less healthy | 20.3% | 20.0% | 19.3% | 22.7% | 19.4% | 18.8% | 18.1% | 22.7% | 19.1% | 25.8% | 24.1% | 25.1% |
| The same | 53.2% | 57.5% | 45.8% | 48.4% | 50.0% | 45.1% | 57.9% | 49.7% | 59.7% | 51.1% | 56.3% | 44.2% |
| Somewhat more healthy | 16.8% | 15.2% | 21.2% | 17.2% | 16.1% | 22.3% | 17.1% | 15.8% | 13.6% | 13.1% | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| A lot more healthy | 5.5% | 4.3% | 7.9% | 7.0% | 4.0% | 7.5% | 3.9% | 7.5% | 4.1% | 6.8% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Refused/missing | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2.4% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Do you have a way to get to the store for food since COVID‐19 | ||||||||||||
| Yes | 84.3% | 89.5% | 70.7% | 83.3% | 78.2% | 69.5% | 88.7% | 85.4% | 95.0% | 86.9% | 81.3% | 81.7% |
| Sometimes | 9.8% | 6.0% | 18.6% | 10.9% | 17.7% | 20.8% | 6.4% | 10.6% | 3.1% | 8.1% | 8.9% | 10.8% |
| No | 3.6% | 2.6% | 7.4% | 3.6% | 0.8% | 7.1% | 2.5% | 2.8% | 1.4% | 3.6% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| I would not be going to the store to shop for food anyway, so this does not apply to me | 1.9% | 1.6% | 3.0% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.5% | 1.4% | 5.4% | 2.4% |
| Refused | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 1.6% | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Have you gone to the store for food in the last week? | ||||||||||||
| Yes | 85.9% | 87.9% | 78.1% | 87.9% | 84.7% | 78.8% | 87.5% | 87.0% | 90.2% | 89.1% | 77.7% | 87.3% |
| No | 13.4% | 11.6% | 20.4% | 11.8% | 13.7% | 20.4% | 11.9% | 13.0% | 9.5% | 10.4% | 22.3% | 12.4% |
| Refused | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.6% | 0.3% | 1.6% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| In the past week, were you able to get the food you were looking for when you were at the store? | ||||||||||||
| Yes, the store had everything I needed | 50.3% | 50.8% | 48.1% | 51.4% | 46.8% | 49.8% | 50.4% | 48.8% | 54.4% | 47.1% | 44.6% | 53.0% |
| The store had most of what I needed | 31.8% | 34.4% | 24.4% | 32.0% | 29.8% | 24.1% | 34.4% | 33.5% | 33.2% | 37.1% | 31.3% | 29.9% |
| The store had only a little of what I needed | 2.9% | 2.0% | 4.6% | 3.4% | 6.5% | 4.2% | 1.7% | 4.3% | 2.1% | 4.1% | 1.8% | 2.4% |
| The store had nothing that I needed | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.9% | 22.3% | 0.4% |
| Refused/missing | 14.7% | 12.6% | 22.6% | 12.9% | 16.9% | 21.7% | 13.3% | 13.0% | 10.0% | 10.9% | 0.0% | 14.3% |
| Are there other ways you are getting food at home that you were not using before COVID‐19? | ||||||||||||
| None | 35.3% | 39.5% | 31.2% | 33.8% | 21.1% | 32.3% | 4.9% | 26.2% | 39.0% | 29.2% | 40.0% | 53.1% |
| Online orders | 39.3% | 38.6% | 39.2% | 42.3% | 36.8% | 41.7% | 4.9% | 42.9% | 39.0% | 50.0% | 32.0% | 28.1% |
| Neighbors | 11.5% | 9.0% | 16.0% | 11.3% | 10.5% | 13.5% | 1.3% | 14.3% | 9.8% | 4.2% | 8.0% | 9.4% |
| Family | 17.9% | 12.9% | 20.8% | 22.5% | 36.8% | 21.9% | 1.9% | 21.4% | 12.2% | 8.3% | 16.0% | 25.0% |
| Food delivery business | 17.9% | 18.6% | 12.0% | 25.4% | 21.1% | 12.5% | 2.6% | 26.2% | 17.1% | 25.0% | 8.0% | 25.0% |
| Food from my child's school to eat at home | 5.4% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 5.6% | 15.8% | 4.2% | 0.6% | 9.5% | 4.9% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 6.3% |
| Other/refused | 6.4% | 5.2% | 6.4% | 7.0% | 15.8% | 5.2% | 0.5% | 9.5% | 4.9% | 8.3% | 16.0% | 0.0% |
| Are there food resources you were receiving before COVID‐19 that you are now not getting (mobile meals, food pantry, etc.)? | ||||||||||||
| There are no other food resources I was receiving | 68.7% | 74.1% | 60.0% | 63.0% | 60.5% | 61.1% | 71.2% | 61.8% | 79.5% | 71.5% | 76.8% | 64.5% |
| There are resources I am no longer receiving | 10.8% | 7.8% | 17.2% | 12.6% | 15.3% | 16.8% | 8.3% | 13.0% | 5.7% | 11.3% | 5.4% | 12.0% |
| I am still receiving all of the resources I was getting before | 16.2% | 14.7% | 17.7% | 18.2% | 20.2% | 18.6% | 16.8% | 19.6% | 11.5% | 14.0% | 14.3% | 15.5% |
| Refused/missing | 4.2% | 3.3% | 5.1% | 6.1% | 4.0% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 5.6% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 8.0% |
| Why are you not getting those resources? | ||||||||||||
| Lack of transportation | 19.3% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 2.6% | 1.3% | 6.2% | 1.8% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.9% | 0.3% | 1.6% |
| Reduced hours of service | 38.2% | 13.3% | 16.2% | 9.1% | 1.9% | 12.7% | 2.7% | 4.9% | 1.6% | 3.2% | 0.3% | 2.6% |
| Closed or not offered anymore | 35.5% | 14.9% | 10.7% | 10.1% | 1.9% | 8.1% | 3.2% | 5.8% | 2.6% | 1.9% | 0.3% | 3.9% |
| I am worried about others having COVID‐19 | 40.7% | 19.8% | 10.7% | 10.1% | 2.6% | 8.1% | 3.5% | 4.9% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 1.3% | 3.9% |
| Other/refused | 4.0% | 1.9% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 0.5% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.6% |
Note: Bold denotes statistical significance using a two‐sided alpha of 0.05.
a
The total and Asian ethnic subgroups (East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Multiethnic Asian) column are inclusive of columns representing responses from national identities [Chinese, Asian Indian, Japanese, Filipino, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Taiwanese].
b
Logistic and linear regression were used to compare differences in survey responses by Asian ethnic subgroup (East Asian as referent group).