Self-reported racial or ethnic discrimination in a health care setting has been linked to worse health outcomes and not having a usual source of care, but has been rarely examined among Asian ethnic subgroups. Authors examined the association between Asian ethnic subgroup and self-reported discrimination in a healthcare setting, and whether both factors were associated with not having a usual source of care.

Using the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2015–2017, authors used logistic regression models to assess associations among Asian ethnic subgroup, self-reported discrimination, and not having a usual source of care. Interactions between race and self-reported discrimination, foreign-born status, poverty level, and limited English proficiency were also analyzed. Respondents represented adults ages 18 and older residing in California who identified as white, Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian (including Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Other Asian), and other. Researchers examined two main outcomes: self-reported discrimination in a health care setting and having a usual source of care. There were 62,965 respondents.

Findings: After survey weighting, Asians as an aggregate group were more likely to report discrimination than non-Hispanic whites. When Asians were disaggregated, Japanese and Koreans were more likely to report discrimination than non-Hispanic whites. Self-reported discrimination was marginally associated with not having a usual source of care. Koreans were the only group associated with not having a usual source of care. Foreign-born Chinese and foreign-born Japanese were more associated with self-reported discrimination than being independently foreign-born and Chinese or Japanese.

Differences in self-reported discrimination in a health care setting and not having a usual source of care were observed among Asian ethnic subgroups. Better understanding of these differences in their sociocultural contexts will guide interventions to ensure equitable access to health care.