A new study has found a connection among Chinese elders between experiencing racial discrimination and the risk of suicide, reports Sing Tao Daily/New American Media.



The study by Lydia W. Li, PhD, of the University of Michigan included data from 3,157 Chinese seniors ages 60 and older in the Greater Chicago Area. The immigrants had been in the United States an average of 20 years.



Those who suffered racial discrimination were twice as likely to have considered suicide, according to the study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.



“Clinicians need to recognize the impact of discrimination on ethnic minority elders. For those who report experiencing discrimination, assessment of suicide risk may be necessary. Efforts to promote civil rights and reduce discrimination may also be a form of primary prevention of suicide,” reads the study



In the 30 days prior to the survey, four out of 100 participants said they thought about committing suicide. More than one in five reported experiencing discrimination. Unfortunately the report also found that Chinese seniors face more discrimination at work and in public places.



Many Chinese seniors are unlikely to ask for help. Li says there’s a strong need for mental health and social work professionals to increase their presence in immigrant communities to help seniors deal with discrimination.



The article originally reported in the Sing Tao Daily was translated into English with a grant from New America Media, the Gerontological Society of America and the Retirement Research Foundation.



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