By Greg Hugh
The first study ever to examine the connection between racism, mental distress, alcohol use and firearms purchases by Asian Americans has been released.
Researchers from Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan confirmed a direct link between racism that spiked during COVID-19 and the rise in gun ownership by Asian Americans, reported EMU.
AsAmNews reported anecdotal evidence of this occurring as far back as 2020, especially among Chinese foreign students in the U.S.
The trend continued among all Asian Americans the following year when the National Shooting Sports Foundation stated that that over 27 percent of firearm retailers saw an increase of Asian Americans purchasing firearms in 2021.
“The study results showed that Asian Americans’ racism experience is associated with increased mental distress, alcohol use, and firearm purchases. The mechanism further illustrated that mental distress and alcohol use were also linked to firearm purchases, which means racism affects firearm purchase in a heightened way both directly and indirectly,” said Tsu-Yin Wu, lead author and professor at Eastern Michigan University.
The Institute of Firearm Injury Prevention at the University of Michigan described the importance of the study when it was first proposed“Racism, a form of violence, and its influence on firearm possession, mental distress symptoms and substance use may put Asian Americans at elevated risk of firearm injury and mortality, stressing the urgent need to understand their risks and resilience-promotive factors against racism,” it said.
The study of 916 Asian Americans found that one stress factor led to the other and then ultimately the decision to purchase guns.
“It was found that racism links to more mental distress and increased alcohol use, which in turn link to increased firearm purchase,” reported Springer Link