ABSTRACT
Previous research has demonstrated the deleterious effects of discrimination on health and well-being, as well as how these incidents maintain and/or increase inequalities and disparities for marginalized groups. The COVID-19 pandemic and media scapegoating of Asian Americans have been linked to increases in hate crimes and other discriminatory incidents. As such, it is important to uncover the lived experiences of Asian Americans, in the context of a global crisis, to inform recommendations related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 10 prioritizing health and equality (United Nations, 2015). The current study advances existing research by investigating the qualitative impact of postpandemic discrimination experienced by Asian American young adults from immigrant households. Analysis revealed several main themes expressed by participants such as a distinct difference in the lived experience of hostility, xenophobia, racism, and discrimination pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 and the mental and physical health effects of discrimination-related stress, anxiety, and hypervigilance. Analysis also highlighted recommendations from participants for community support and resources. These findings align with emerging evidence demonstrating an increase in quantity and severity of discriminatory experiences among Asian Americans since the pandemic, as well as document the impact of these experiences on a sample of Asian Americans living through this unprecedented international event. Findings may inform interventions, programs, and policies to better serve Asian Americans, as well as directly and indirectly contribute to UN SDG 3 and SDG 10. © 2022 Hogrefe Publishing.
ABSTRACT
As the COVID-19 pandemic roiled the global economy, significant disruptions to the flow of goods and raw materials between countries emerged. Serious medical product shortages exposed the degree to which the United States relies on foreign suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), finished pharmaceuticals, and other indispensable medical products and components. Concern about the fragility of medical product supply chains has generated rare bipartisan consensus, as policymakers of all stripes have called for measures to reduce the country's heavy dependence on foreign manufacturers. This Article begins by briefly discussing the root causes that have led many drug companies, API manufacturers, and device makers to move their operations abroad. It then outlines the potential national security and public health risks posed by the nation's significant dependence on foreign pharmaceutical and medical device suppliers. The Article also reviews measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic to address medical product shortages, and how the pandemic has highlighted the need for comprehensive, long-term solutions to overreliance on foreign medical product manufacturing. The Article then addresses both the Trump and Biden administrations' approaches to strengthening domestic medical product manufacturing. It concludes by considering whether the current level of scrutiny and funding to address supply chain fragility will continue after COVID-19 is no longer an immediate threat.