Understanding the effects of discrimination on health: BUSSW Research Assistant One of 5 Chosen to Present Findings at University Symposium

BU School of Social Work Research Assistant Jillian Gaumond was recently selected to present her work on the Asian American Women’s Sexual Health Initiative Project (AWSHIP) project at the 12th Annual Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Symposium. Gaumond was one of five students chosen from across the University to present, “The Gender Dimension in the Effect of Perceived Discrimination on Asian American Health: Are Women More Vulnerable?"

Led by Assistant Professor Hyeouk Chris Hahm, the AWSHIP project is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), involving survey research as well as in-depth interviews for Asian American women to understand their sexual risk behaviors, substance use, and gender and power disparities. As part of Professor Hahm’s research team, Gaumond’s examined the effects of discrimination on overall health outcomes.

“My research had two objectives,” said Gaumond. “I first wanted to examine the association between perceived discrimination and poor mental and physical health among Asian American adult women and men, and then test whether Asian American women would have a lower threshold of perceived discrimination necessary to develop a negative health status, compared to Asian American men.”

Gaumond hypothesized that discrimination was indeed associated with negative health outcomes for both men and women, and secondly, that women would have a lower discrimination threshold than men. Working side-by-side with Professor Hahm, Gaumond used a number of methods to conduct her research, such as data analysis as well as a thorough examination of the US National Latino and Asian Study (NLASS).

“Towards the end of my study, it became clear that the health of both genders is negatively affected by discrimination…and that the threshold for effects is lower in women,” said Gaumond. Her research, she explained, is significant in that it brings important issues to light. “There are important questions that we should be asking ourselves, for instance, how does discrimination lead to changes in health? What are some protective factors for discrimination?”

States Professor Hahm, “I am proud of Jillian’s work and her contributions to the team. My UROP students have been extremely successful in submitting and publishing journal articles in peer-review journals and presenting at national conferences. Already, we have begun to discuss these findings at the annual meetings of the American Public Health Association and the American Psychological Association. Through this research, I have high hopes that we will be able to improve our understanding of health disparities among Asian Americans, and ultimately be able to close that gap.”

Learn more about Professor Hahm and the AWSHIP project.