Anti-Asian sentiment on social media and mental health among Asian and Asian American populations in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic literature review.

Asian and Asian American populations in the United States represent the fastest-growing group, with an 81% increase between 2000 and 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they were targeted by anti-Asian racism, leading to experiences of discrimination, stigmatization, verbal harassment, and physical attacks. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review to understand how anti-Asian sentiment, particularly through social media, affected the mental health of Asian populations. We established six key areas as eligibility criteria: (1) Asian populations, (2) the COVID-19 pandemic, (3) racism and discrimination, (4) mental health, (5) the role of social media, and (6) the United States. Using five online databases-PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, and OpenGrey-we applied the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram, which resulted in 15 articles for review. A total of four themes emerged. First, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian and Asian American populations experienced high rates of racial prejudice and discrimination, which were widely discussed on social media. Second, there was no geographic pattern distinguishing rural and urban areas in terms of anti-Asian hate incidents. Third, prejudice and discrimination had a negative impact on mental health. Lastly, social media served as both a platform for spreading and combating anti-Asian hate crimes. Future studies should examine how social media particularly influences offline hate crimes and explore culturally tailored interventions to reduce racism and discrimination among Asian and Asian American populations, ultimately promoting community resilience.