Rachel Banawa

​Summary: The 2021 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) included questions about guns in the home and fears of gun violence, asked of California adults and of adolescents ages 12 to 17. This fact sheet focuses on the resulting estimates about guns and gun safety at home, as well as attitudes related to gun violence among adults in California. It also highlights estimates across population groups that are disproportionately affected by gun violence, including young adults (ages 18 to 25); immigrants; veterans; lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) adults; transgender or gender-nonconforming adults; and adults living in rural areas.

Findings: About 5.2 million California adults, or 17.6%, kept a firearm at home, and California veterans comprised the highest percentage of those with a firearm in the home (38.1%) among selected population groups. Of adult gun owners, 7.7% reported having a firearm at home that was loaded and unlocked, including 13.9% of veterans who kept a gun at home. Of all California adults, 12.9% were "very worried" about being a victim of gun violence, including 24% of adult immigrants in the state. Of adults in rural areas, 6.5% were "very worried” about being a victim of gun violence, half the percentage for adults in urban areas (13.5%); LGB and non-LGB adults had similar percentages, at 13.7% and 12.6%, respectively.  
 

Read the Publications:

• Fact Sheet: Despite California’s Strong Gun Laws and Regulations, Issues of Gun Safety and Fears of Gun Violence Remain (ADA Compliant)
• Infographic (ADA Compliant)
• Press Release

Watch the Webinar segment:

• Despite California's Strong Gun Laws and Regulations, Issues of Gun Safety and Fears of Gun Violence Remain (starts at the 28 minute mark)

​Summary: During COVID-19, anti-Asian discrimination increased in attention. Hate and unfair treatment are related but do not completely overlap. Authors expect those who report a hate incident would also report race-based unfair treatment, yet feelings of social desirability or self-blame may lead to under-reporting of unfair treatment.

This study describes reporting of an experience of race-based hate but not an experience of race-based unfair treatment among Asians in California and explores the association between this reporting discordance with 1) serious psychological distress, 2) forgoing needed medical care, 3) increased household interpersonal conflict, and 4) feeling unsafe in their neighborhood.

Researchers used the 2020 California Health Interview Survey’s AANHPI COVID Module, conducted weighted descriptive and multivariate analyses, and computed adjusted relative risks. The multivariate models controlled for Asian subgroup, age, gender, immigrant status, education level, poverty, and English proficiency.

Findings: Among Asians who reported race-based hate (6.9% overall), 62.4% reported not experiencing race-based unfair treatment. Compared to Asians not reporting a hate incident, this “discordant” group was more likely to experience serious psychological distress, forgo necessary medical care, increased household interpersonal conflicts, and feel unsafe in their neighborhoods. The “concordant” group did not post significant effects for severe psychological distress nor forgoing necessary medical care.

Most Asians reporting hate did not report race-based unfair treatment, and this group is most affected by the consequences of a hate incident. Authors indicate future directions for research and policy.

Read the Publication:

• Report: Measuring Asian Hate: Discordant Reporting of Race-Based Hate Incidents and Unfair Treatment and Association with Measures of Well-Being