Social Isolation in Asian Americans: Risks Associated with Socio-Demographic, Health, and Immigration Factors

Background and Purpose: As social beings, humans continue seeking social interaction and connectedness over the life course; however, one in five adult Americans reports feelings of isolation and loneliness. Responding to public health concerns regarding social isolation, the present study examined its prevalence and associated factors in Asian Americans. Three types of social isolation (marginal family ties, marginal friend ties, and overall social isolation) were considered with a sample of Asian Americans representing diverse ethnic groups (Chinese, Asian Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, and other Asians) and a broad age range (18−98). Attention was given to the predictive role of socio-demographic variables (age group, gender, ethnic origin, marital status, education, and perceived financial status), health-related variables (chronic medical conditions and self-rated health), and immigration-related variables (proportion of life in the U.S. and English proficiency).

Methods: Using data from the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life Survey (N = 2,609, Mean age = 42.8), logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of three types of social isolation (marginal ties to family, marginal ties to friends, and overall social isolation), measured with the Lubben’s Social Network Scale (LSNS-6).

Results: When the suggested cut-offs for isolation were applied, 18.2% fell in the category of marginal family ties (LSNS−6 family subscale score <6), 19.3% in the category of marginal friend ties (LSNS−6 friend subscale score <6), and 18.9% in the category of overall social isolation (summary LSNS−6 total score <12). Among ethnic subgroups, Vietnamese showed the highest isolation rates in family (23%), friend (35.8%), and the combined (33.1%). For both family and friend ties, individuals who were in the middle-aged group and who had limited English proficiency demonstrated higher odds of being isolated. Reflecting different natures of family and friend networks, the risk associated with unmarried status was specific to family ties whereas unmet financial needs were uniquely linked to social isolation from friends. The central role of marital status in family social support suggests that marriage embeds the individual in a broader family network. It was interesting that financial resources seem to empower individuals to build and maintain social ties with friends, perhaps because of its role as social capital.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings from the study expand our understanding of the multiple domains of social isolation in an understudied population and emphasize the importance of developing prevention and intervention programs to foster social connectedness among Asian Americans. Our findings on risk factors and ethnic variations help identify the groups to be prioritized in intervention efforts and suggest ways to approach them.