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Identity formation among immigrant communities, particularly for ethnic–racial minorities like Asian Indian Americans, is a multifaceted process. Shaped by preimmigration histories of British colonization and the caste system and the Indian diasporic postimmigration, experiences of physical and psychological displacement alongside racism in the United States contribute to the complexity of identity for this community. Although existing racial and ethnic identity models offer valuable frameworks, they may not fully capture the nuanced in-between spaces created by the intersectionality of ethnicity and race for Asian Indian Americans in the United States. Drawing from psychological critical race theory (CRT), Asian CRT, DesiCRT, and colonial mentality framework, this article proposes a unique identity model tailored to Asian Indian American experiences. Drawing from recent research, the model illuminates the dynamics of pre- and postimmigrant frictions in the negotiations and coping inherent in Asian Indian American identity formation. By using a multidimensional lens that captures tensions between ethnic identities based in sociopolitical histories and dominant societal categorizations and racism in the United States, this model aims to provide a more comprehensive and strength-based understanding of Asian Indian American identity development across the lifespan of multiple generations. Public Significance Statement: This article advances the idea that Asian Indian American identity is shaped by pre- and postimmigration contexts and generational experiences, with race and ethnicity holding different meanings based on the internalization of and coping with race and racism. The article and proposed model highlight the risk of overemphasizing ethnicity versus race and minimizing the ingrained role that race plays in the U.S. culture and structure for Asian Indian American communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: American Indian (AI) adolescents report earlier initiation and higher rates of cannabis and alcohol use compared to their non-AI peers. Simultaneous cannabis and alcohol (SCA) use is increasingly common. A primary goal of our research was to identify profiles of cannabis and alcohol use, including SCA use, among AI adolescents using latent class analysis (LCA). Method: Data from 1,673 7th–12th grade students attending 45 reservation-area schools throughout the United States who reported using alcohol and/or cannabis in the past year were used to identify the latent classes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis determined associations of sex, grade, and multiethnicity to class membership. Results: A four-class solution was found: (1) SCA-Heavier Use (16.1%); (2) SCA-Lighter Use (25.2%); (3) Primarily Cannabis Use (33.3%); and (4) Primarily Alcohol Use (25.4%). Multinomial regression showed higher grade, identifying as multiethnic, and being female were associated with higher likelihood of membership in the SCA class. Conclusion: AI adolescents were more likely to be classified in the Primarily Cannabis Use class as compared to all other classes. Characterizing profiles of use may help identify those engaging in risky or co-use and help researchers and clinicians better understand how AI adolescents engage with alcohol and marijuana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health Information Seeking Behavior (HISB) refers to the behavior and strategies used to attain, clarify, or confirm health information. The uptake of health information depends on system-level and individual-level factors. The purpose of the present study is to understand the sources from which Punjabi elders obtain COVID-19 vaccine-related information and their information seeking behavior. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 391 Punjabi elders aged 50+ years in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario. The survey questions included the need for COVID-19 vaccine information, the type of information sought, sources of information, and barriers to seeking information. Descriptive analysis was conducted using frequencies and percentages, and logistic regression was performed to understand the associations between participants' sociodemographic characteristics and HISB. The results suggested that Punjabi elders are more likely to use informal sources and less likely to seek information from health professionals and government health and wellness websites. The results also suggested that most participants do not cross-check their information with other sources and are more likely to cross-check the information with family/friends, compared to credible care providers, across all demographics. Ultimately, there may be a need for stakeholders to collaborate to regulate the accuracy and type of health-information that is disseminated through media, and to tailor health communication to the health information seeking behavior of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a longitudinal study comparing religiosity among two cohorts of Indian older adults—those who age in the homeland of India (AIH cohort) and immigrants (to the USA) or diaspora older adults (DOA). Results indicated that AIH and DOA cohorts' religiosity outcomes were comparable at baseline but there was a statistically significant increase in all outcomes of the DOA cohort at subsequent time points. Women and single older adults in both the cohorts had higher religiosity scores at baseline. Religiosity scores were higher among those in the DOA cohort who migrated following marital disruption (widowhood, divorce) or grandchild birth and lived with adult immigrant children and their families. The immigration process can have an impact on religious orientation of older adults and place is a significant variable impacting religiosity possibly for augmenting the sense of self, acquire social capital and preserve cultural identity in the foreign land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple studies have shown that racially minoritized groups had disproportionate COVID-19 mortality relative to non-Hispanic White individuals. However, there is little known regarding mortality by immigrant status nationally in the United States, despite being another vulnerable population. This was an observational cross-sectional study using mortality vital statistics system data to calculate proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) and mortality rates due to COVID-19 as the underlying cause. Rates were compared by decedents' identified race, ethnicity (Hispanic vs non-Hispanic), and immigrant (immigrants vs US born) status. Asian race was further disaggregated into "Asian Indian," "Chinese," "Filipino," "Japanese," "Korean," and "Vietnamese." Of the over 3.4 million people who died in 2020, 10.4% of all deaths were attributed to COVID-19 as the underlying cause (n = 351,530). More than double (18.9%, n = 81,815) the percentage of immigrants who died of COVID-19 compared with US-born decedents (9.1%, n = 269,715). PMRs due to COVID-19 were higher among immigrants compared with US-born individuals for non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and most disaggregated Asian groups. Among disaggregated Asian immigrants, age- and sex-adjusted PMR due to COVID-19 ranged from 1.58 times greater mortality among Filipino immigrants (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53, 1.64) to 0.77 times greater mortality among Japanese immigrants (95% CI: 0.68, 0.86). Age-adjusted mortality rates were also higher among immigrant individuals compared with US-born people. Immigrant individuals experienced greater mortality due to COVID-19 compared with their US-born counterparts. As COVID-19 becomes more endemic, greater clinical and public health efforts are needed to reduce disparities in mortality among immigrants compared with their US-born counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Indian Americans constitute the second-largest immigrant group in the United States, there is a paucity of information about Indian American youth, particularly with respect to substance use risk. We examined the relationship of social factors to permissive substance use beliefs (a proxy for substance use risk since they can lead to adulthood substance use and misuse) and family functioning. The study used structural equation modeling to examine the prevalence of permissive substance use beliefs in a sample of Indian American youth ages 12–17 (N = 223) and examined the degree to which discrimination, bicultural identity integration, and endorsement of the model minority stereotype were associated with permissive substance use beliefs. Findings suggest that bicultural identity integration (B = 0.267 [SE = 0.112], p = 0.01) and discrimination (B = 0.294 [SE = 0.087], p = 0.001) are positively associated with permissive substance use beliefs. Bicultural identity integration (B = 0.415 [SE = 0.090], p = 0.0001) was positively associated with family support (B= −0.329 [SE = 0.108], p = 0.002) which, in turn, was associated with less permissive substance use beliefs. In contrast, endorsement of the model minority stereotype (B = 0.351 [SE = 0.090], p = 0.001) was positively associated with family closeness (B = 0.232 [SE = 0.927], p = 0.01) which, in turn, was associated with family support and then with less permissive substance use beliefs. Discrimination and bicultural identity integration emerged as key constructs related to substance use risk among Indian American youth. These youth could benefit from culturally appropriate prevention programming that addresses the negative impact of discrimination and its effect on permissive substance use beliefs and highlights protective factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetes management and control remain poor in Asian Indians (AI) and is influenced by personal beliefs and cultural practices. Since AIs have a high prevalence of diabetes and are more likely develop complications earlier than any other ethnic group, understanding their beliefs and practices of diabetes management is essential. The purpose of this study was to examine and understand beliefs and practices about diabetes self-management in first-generation AI Hindus and Sikhs. Method: Interpretative phenomenology was used to interview 12 first generation AI participants with type 2 diabetes to elicit beliefs and daily self-management practices of diabetes. Interpretative and thematic analysis were completed. Results: Diabetes self-management was a balancing act influenced by Ayurvedic principles, allopathy and dietary practices; gender roles, insufficient knowledge and culturally inappropriate diabetes education. Discussion: Culturally appropriate strategies that incorporate Ayurvedic principles, dietary practices, gender roles should be developed to improve diabetes management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This inquiry is a case study of ‘writing in a third language’. It highlights three elements of identity, abstraction and oblivion as its main features. Among plurilingual writers, there are some ‘migrant writers’ that move to a third country and write in a third language in order to free themselves from the hybrid state that limits their identity and writing. They deny their dualistic cultural and social identity and write in an abstract language that gets them close to the state of becoming nomads. An illustrative example of this group is the Indian-American writer, Jhumpa Lahiri, who, after gaining success as a writer of migration literature in the United States, moved to Italy and wrote in Italian. Writing in a third language, Lahiri concerns herself no more with cultural and social matters, instead focuses on language as its main theme. Therefore, this essay by referring to the multilingual and multicultural experiences of Jhumpa Lahiri, demonstrates how writing in a third language can free the migrant writer from his/her memories and dualistic identity and gets him/her close to a nomadic identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian Indians are the third largest and fastest growing Asian subgroup in the U.S. and have high risks for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study explored the mediating role of lifestyle behaviors on the relationship between acculturation and cardiometabolic risk factors among Asian Indians using the Diabetes in Indian Americans national study. The cross-sectional study sample comprised 1038 randomly selected adult Asian Indians in seven U.S. sites. Acculturation was assessed using the Acculturation Scale for Southeast Asians. Diet and lifestyle behaviors were measured using the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II subscales. Path analyses with bootstrap methods were conducted. Dietary behavior significantly mediated the relationship between acculturation and HbA1C (β = 0.004, p = 0.047), and physical activity mediated the relationship between acculturation and HDL (β = 0.08, p = 0.011). Other mediation models were not significant (p > 0.05). Mediating factors besides lifestyle behaviors should be explored in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on how and why Indian American immigrants engage with movies from their home country in a transnational global context. Existing literature has focused on lack of host language proficiency as the primary reason for ethnic media consumption. We suggest that for Indian Americans, the motivation for consuming Indian films is driven by ethnic performance rather than language proficiency. A survey was conducted with Indian Americans to explore the relationships among Indian movie consumption, acculturation indices, language proficiency, and ethnic performance. Results show that ethnic performance is a stronger predictor of Indian movie consumption than language proficiency and acculturation indices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article examines how Indian Americans' religious organizations send not only financial remittances to India, but also social remittances that shape development ideologies. Comparing Indian- American Hindu and Muslim organizations, I find both groups draw from their socioeconomic experiences in India and use their position as elite immigrants in the United States to identify and empower their respective religious constituencies in India and overturn different social relations (not just religious practices). Hindu Americans draw from their majority status in India to overturn India's lower position in the world system and support poverty alleviation efforts within a neoliberal development framework. Indian-American Muslims draw from their poor status in India to overturn economic inequities within India by shifting India's development rhetoric from identity to class. Collective religious identities (expressed through organizations) not only affect the intensity of immigrants' development efforts, but also their content and ideology. These findings urge us to fold transnational religious organizations into contemporary discussions on migration and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used quantitative data collected through a questionnaire with ninety-five participants to examine both overall and gendered patterns of bi-cultural conflict in 1.5- and second-generation South Asian American college students. It used cultural values conflict theory to examine the degree and types of bi-cultural conflict that participants experienced with their families on making academic and sociocultural decisions in an educational context. Descriptive analyses on academic decision-making indicated that students experienced high conflict with parents on being compared to others academically and on time allocation for study and recreation. Analyses on sociocultural items indicated high conflict levels on issues of dating and collective decision-making processes. Independent t-tests revealed differences between genders on cultural conflict levels. Findings suggest that males experienced more conflict on academic-related items, while females experienced greater conflict on sociocultural items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that participation in religious institutions facilitates the civic incorporation of contemporary immigrants. These studies have focused on either the immigrant generation or on the second generation. This paper contributes to the literature by showing how negotiations and disagreements between generations shape the civic engagement of multigenerational Christian congregations. The research is based on a study of congregations consisting of first- and second-generation immigrants belonging to the ancient Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Christian church based in Kerala, a state in south India. It shows how first- and second-generation Mar Thoma American conceptions regarding ethnic and religious identity and the social obligations mandated by religion were based on very different understandings about Christian worship, evangelism, social outreach, and their interrelationship. The immigrant generation's ideas were shaped by the doctrines and practices of the Mar Thoma denomination in India, whereas those of the second generation were influenced by nondenominational American evangelicalism. This paper focuses on the second generation and shows how they developed ideas of American identity and Christian obligation in interaction with and often in opposition to those of their parents' generation, with the result that contradictory forces affected the civic engagement of these multigenerational congregations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the social fields with which the children of immigrants actually identify, we interrogate the multiple sites and sources which Gujarati-origin Indian American Hindus and Muslims draw upon to construct their religious identities. We find that our respondents create religious selves by combining their imaginings of their parents’ religious upbringing with their own real and imagined experiences of religious life in the US, India, and other salient places around the world. They also incorporate real and perceived understandings of US religious traditions in four broad patterns which we call American-centric, Indian-centric, global-secular and global-religious. But while they adopt these various stances, they do so from their positions in the US. The circulation of religious ideas, practices and objects is filtered through uniquely American cultural structures and traverses uniquely American organisational channels. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lahiri's The Namesake is an example of the contemporary immigrant narrative, which does not place the idea of an "American Dream" at the center of the story, but rather positions the immigrant ethnic family within a community of cosmopolitan travelers. Examining the experience of upper-class South Asian immigration through the eyes of American-born children, Lahiri's novel contains moments and tropes that resemble those of the travel narrative genre, particularly in its detached tone and digressive, pluralist narration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The children of immigrants raised in the USA (i.e. the second generation) have become a central focus in understanding immigrant adaptation. Groups' Americanisation is assessed by their degree of commitment to the manifest elements of the nation-state, that is, to what extent groups adopt the dominant cultural norms of native-born whites and become involved in mainstream social institutions, networks and laws. Research on adaptation increasingly argues that groups selectively further their Americanisation into these elements by keeping, rather than abandoning, their ethnic and even transnational ties. Missing in this framework is immigrants' relationship to the principles of the liberal nation-state, that is, the taken-for-granted ideals that shape how to express civil liberties. This study argues that second-generation Indian Americans convey local and transnational ethnic ties, often within religious and secular organisations. Doing so facilitates their selective commitment to not only the prevailing, manifest dimensions of the nation-state, as others have also found, but also to its broader principles through how informants defend and express their ethnicity. As a result, second-generation Indian Americans further their Americanisation in overlooked ways and more deeply than expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the history of pioneer Punjabi immigrants in California. Study of religious and social identity; Hindu identity of the Punjabi pioneers; Gender issues; Absorption and assimilation of a continuing identity; Political struggles and oppression of the Punjabi immigrants.