Pandemic may intensify US workplace prejudice against Asian, Hispanic colleagues

NEW YORK - The COVID-19 pandemic may have amplified prejudicial attitudes against Asian and Hispanic colleagues in US workplace, a new, US-based survey showed.

The study, conducted by experts from Columbia University and Northwestern University, was released in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on Wednesday.

During the research, participants who had lost jobs due to COVID-19, as well as those from counties with higher COVID-19 rates and lower concentrations of East Asians, showed greater prejudice towards East Asians in their responses.

The findings suggest the possibility that the pandemic amplified health and economic insecurities in the United States, thereby exacerbating prejudice against minority groups in the workplace, the study said.

"Such prejudices increase the likelihood of discriminatory actions, which can have both short- and long-term cross-generation impacts on minorities, including reduced economic opportunities and productivity, harms to mental and physical health, and reduced integration with society," it added.