Role of Residential Segregation, Social Capital, and Political Participation on the Psychological Distress of Asian Americans

Background/Objective:  Racial residential segregation is a fundamental cause of health and social inequities for people of color in the U.S. but has also been associated with protective health effects. However little is known about the factors driving these buffering effects. We sought to examine the association between racial residential segregation and self-reported mental health, and the moderating roles of social capital and political participation, status among Asian Americans in California metropolitan areas. 

Methods: Data are from the 2010 U.C. Census and the California Health Interview Survey, 2011-2012 (n=4,527). Multi-level and ordinary least squares regression was used to examine the association between study variables. Racial segregation was measured using the Asian American-White Dissimilarity Index. Mental health status was measured using the K6 psychological distress scale. Social capital was measured using a four-item scale. Asian American political participation was measured as Asian American voter registration and voter turnout using data from the California Statewide Database. Covariates included a range of individual-level and metropolitan-area sociodemographic factors such as nativity and neighborhood poverty.

Results: Higher residential segregation was found to significantly increase psychological distress among Asian Americans (-6.44, p<0.10). Higher levels of voter registration were also associated with higher distress (p<0.05). Conversely, higher levels of social capital resulted in lower distress scores (p<0.10). When examining interaction effects, we found that in highly segregated areas, low social capital was related to lower distress scores.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest a positive association between residential segregation and psychological distress. Social capital and collective political empowerment are both associated with lower psychological distress among Asian Americans. However in highly segregated areas, low social capital is beneficial for mental health status. These results suggest that both the social context (e.g., neighborhood quality) and dimension of social capital (e.g., reciprocity, or enforceable trust) may be important distinguishing features of the relationship between residential segregation, social capital, political participation and the health status of Asian Americans. Practically, these results may help inform community-based strategies and resources allocations in heath agencies aimed at increasing health equity.