JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to quarantine to slow the rate of transmission, causing communities to transition into virtual space. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities faced the additional challenge of discrimination that stemmed from racist and xenophobic rhetoric in the media. Limited data exists about technology usage during the height of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place among AAPI adults and its effect on their physical and mental health.

Objective:

This study aims to examine AAPI adults’ perspectives and experiences about their use of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

We leveraged community partners and social media to distribute the COVID-19 Effects on the Mental and Physical Health of AAPI Survey Study (COMPASS), a nationwide multi-lingual survey available in English, Chinese, Korean, Samoan, and Vietnamese. The survey was administered from October 2020–February 2021 and participants rated their level of agreement (1=Not at all to 5=Extremely) on six items about their attitudes toward using technology. Thematic analysis was conducted to an open-ended question: “Is there anything else you want to tell us about your use of technology during COVID-19?” The qualitative responses were reviewed, analyzed, organized into various codes, and then categorized into corresponding themes.

Results:

The mean age of respondents was 45.9 years old (range 18-98) with 5,398 participants of the quantitative survey and 1,115 unique responses to the open-ended question. In the quantitative survey, 68% of respondents said they were comfortable using technology, with the majority saying it helps them keep up with news (80%), social connections (76%), and care for others (47%). However, it showed mixed opinions on how useful technology was for health: 40% agreed it is helpful for mental health but disagreed for physical health. Four main themes from the qualitative analysis were derived: (a) Technology was critical to function in many aspects of life and maintain physical, mental, and emotional well-being; (b) Technology was often the only source for interpersonal social connections; (c) Overuse led to negative physical & mental health; and (d) Technology use was associated with multiple challenges and barriers.

Conclusions:

Findings revealed diverse perspectives and experiences in technology use for AAPI adults during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dependence on technology may have exacerbated social inequities with a lack of access to devices and Wi-Fi to maintain work, interview for new jobs, and communicate virtually for persons who have limited English proficiency. Further qualitative research would be beneficial in amplifying AAPI perspectives to uncover concerns and address health disparities.