COVID-19 Effects on the Mental and Physical Health of AAPI Survey Study (COMPASS) II

Project Abstract/Summary of COMPASS The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have devastating health, social, and economic implications in the U.S. COVID-19 has intensified the significant health disparities, socio- economic inequalities, and discrimination/xenophobia that exist, both prior to and due to COVID-19. COVID-19 related policies (e.g., shelter-in-place; social distancing) have placed vulnerable populations including racial/ethnic minorities as well as those who are low-income, have limited English proficiency, and are socially and technologically isolated in even more dire situations and risk for poorer health. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), in particular, encompass all of these aforementioned characteristics. AAPI also experience significant health disparities, which has likely been exacerbated due to COVID-19, and reports of discrimination and xenophobia in the AAPI population due to COVID-19 are alarming. Older AAPI, especially, are more likely to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19 policies. Also, persons with health conditions such as cognitive impairment (i.e., Alzheimer's disease and related dementias [ADRD]) may forget to perform precautions to prevent COVID-19 (e.g., handwashing). Caregivers' health may also be affected (e.g., less respite options; more care management responsibilities; fear/anxiety of infection for self and care recipients, economic instability). The goal of this proposed research, COVID-19 Effects on the Mental and Physical Health of AAPI Survey Study (COMPASS) II, is to assess the longitudinal effects of COVID-19 on AAPI from COMPASS I, the largest COVID-19 national study of AAPI to date (N=5,242). COMPASS leveraged the only AAPI registry in the U.S., Collaborative Approach for AAPI Research and Education (CARE) in ADRD, aging and caregiver-related research, to achieve this goal. Through our strong academic-community partnerships, we will conduct a follow-up with COMPASS I participants to complete a multilingual follow-up survey about the impact of COVID-19 on their health, healthcare access, caregiving, experience with discrimination, employment, and income. We will also examine pre- and post-differences in COVID-19 vaccine willingness and concerns (pre-/post-availability of FDA-approved vaccines), and whether such differences are associated with the receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine. COMPASS participants will complete a multilingual follow-up survey about their health (physical, mental and financial), changes in receiving healthcare and in caregiving, experience with discrimination/xenophobia, and, productivity. COMPASS II is both a necessary and natural extension of COMPASS I, and will help to inform future policies, programs and additional research that can alleviate the adverse effects of COVID-19 for AAPI.