Asian-American Student Group Highlights Media Bias

In early March, stories about the first reported cases of coronavirus in New York appeared on the front pages of major newspapers. Many of these articles were accompanied by pictures of Asian people wearing masks, despite the fact that the state’s first official cases occurred in non-Asian communities. Following general outrage, some news sources removed the pictures. Was this, as the New York Times stated, simply an “oversight”? Or does it point to implicit racism being perpetuated by the media?

These were among the questions raised in a recent online panel discussion organized by Advocates for Asian American Health, a Columbia Mailman School student group. The webinar featured Professors Raygine DiAquoi, Robert Fullilove, Renata Schiavo, and Gina Wingood, each of whom spoke about the importance of public health communications and holding news sources accountable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fullilove noted that “otherism” during pandemics dates back as far as the bubonic plague. Today, the practice extends from incidents of individual hate to the media and beyond, even supported by President Donald Trump who called COVID-19 a “Chinese virus.” “Scapegoating is very much a part of how people react to terrifying news,” said Fullilove.

Biases in health communications can even extend to access to care. Fullilove pointed out that thus far, Asian-Americans in New York have a lower death rate in hospitals due to COVID-19. He speculated that more Asian-Americans may be dying at home because they might be avoiding hospitals where they could be the object of stigma, discrimination, or violence.

While the media often refers to Asian-Americans as a single monolithic group, Asian/Asian-American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities actually represent nearly 100 different ethnic groups with different health needs who speak over 250 different languages and dialects. Gina Wingood explained: “When you lump and clump, it makes minorities more invisible. They are not being recognized and not being validated. This epidemic just brings it out again.”

To combat implicit bias in the age of COVID-19, Ava Kamb, president of Advocates for Asian American Health, said public health schools should do more to address Asian-American health issues in research and curricula. Doing so would provide evidence about how to combat harmful stereotypes or misrepresentation. “As future public health professionals, we feel a sense of urgency to learn about the health characteristics and needs of this diverse community,” said Kamb.