A is for Analysis
2025 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting
A is for Accepting All Bodies: Impact of a Virtual Curriculum on Eating Disorder Awareness Among Korean Adolescents
Background: Eating disorders among adolescents are influenced by complex psychiatric, cultural, and social factors. In South Korea, societal pressures regarding body image and thinness have significantly led to disordered eating behaviors and distorted self-perception. This study evaluates a culturally sensitive, medical student-led virtual curriculum aimed at increasing awareness of eating disorders and promoting healthier attitudes among Korean high school students. Methods: A pre-post intervention study was conducted with 50 high school students at Busan Foreign School who participated in a 4-month virtual curriculum tailored to address cultural norms and stigmas around body image and mental health. Results: Of the eight survey items, only one demonstrated a statistically significant change: the behavior of “Editing pictures to enhance appearance” decreased significantly post-intervention (Chi-square = 9.55, p = 0.008), suggesting enhanced awareness of social media’s role in body image disturbances. Items like “Worried about Body or Weight” (Chi-square = 5.62, p = 0.060) and “Posed in Pictures to Fit Appearance Ideals” (Chi-square = 4.51, p = 0.105) approached significance, indicating potential shifts in psychiatric awareness not fully captured in this pilot. Other behaviors, such as food restriction and guilt after eating, showed no significant changes, potentially reflecting the deeply ingrained cultural and psychiatric dimensions of these behaviors. Notably, the data also showed a significant increase in the students’ confidence in identifying eating disorders, which suggests the curriculum was effective in enhancing students’ ability to recognize disordered eating patterns.
Hannah J. Lee, BA, (1) Euna Lee, (2) Matthew J. Yan, BS, BA, (1) Alexander J. Yan, BA, (3) Michael Suh, (4) Roy Li, BS, (5) Grace Im, (6) Katie Fang, (4) Jennifer Jeon, BA, (7) Jason Bahk, MD, (1) Brandon Ito, MD, MPH, (1), Francis Lu, MD, (8) Yuying Tsong, PhD, (9) Carl Brenneman, BS (10)
(1) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2) Williams College (3) Boston College (4) University of California, Los Angeles (5) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (6) University of California, San Diego (7) Brown University (8) University of California, Davis (9) California State University, Fullerton (10) Busan Foreign School
2025 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting
A Scoping Review of Risk Factors and Interventions of Internet Gaming Disorder and Gambling Disorder Among Asian Americans
Background: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), is defined as a "persistent and recurrent preoccupation with internet games, leading to significant impairment or distress" (DSM-5-TR). The growing popularity of online games, especially post-COVID-19 has heightened concerns about IGD. Asian Americans are notably particularly vulnerable to IGD due to cultural influences that emphasize gaming as a popular form of entertainment. By the same token, Gambling Disorder (GD) is characterized by recurrent and problematic gambling behavior that causes substantial impairment or distress. This scoping review aims to explore the prevalence, psychological mechanisms, and risk factors of IGD and GD in Asian American communities, while assessing potential interventions to address this gap in care. Results: The review identified four studies that explored the links between Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Gambling Disorder (GD) in Asian American populations. These studies highlighted shared psychological mechanisms, including heightened impulsivity, reward-based learning, and cue reactivity. Both IGD and GD are characterized by compulsive behaviors, with gaming and gambling often serving as coping mechanisms for emotional dysregulation and stress. Additionally, five studies examined psychological risk factors associated with gambling in Asian Americans. Key factors include using gambling to cope with trauma, stress from immigration, and experiences of discrimination. Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety further exacerbate susceptibility to both gambling and IGD. Moreover, four studies investigated culturally tailored interventions for Gambling Disorder within Asian American communities. These interventions included Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and telephone-based programs designed to address family dynamics and emotional needs specific to Asian cultures.
Matthew Yan, BS, BA, (1) Alexander Yan, BA, (2) Hannah Lee, BA, (1) Euna Lee, (3) Michael Suh, (4) Roy Li, BS (5); Grace Im, (6) Katie Fang, (4) Jennifer Jeon, BA, (6) Jason Bahk, MD (1)
1) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2) Boston College (3) Williams College (4) University of California, Los Angeles (5) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (6) University of California, San Diego (7) Brown University
22nd Annual Innovations in Medical Education Conference
Culturally Sensitive Educational Bricks: Addressing Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Medical Training
Alexander J. Yan, BA, (1), Matthew J. Yan, BS, BA, (2) Hannah J. Lee, BA, (2) Michael Suh, (3) Euna Lee, (4) Roy Li, BS, (5) Grace Im, (6) Jennifer Jeon, BA, (7) Katie Fang, (3) Jason Bahk, MD, (2), Francis Lu, MD (8)
(1) Boston College (2) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (3) University of California, Los Angeles (4) Williams College (5) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (6) University of California, San Diego (7) Brown University (8) University of California, Davis
Background:There is a critical need to address the lack of awareness and underdiagnosis of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) in marginalized communities. Despite growing mental health awareness, BDD remains overlooked in medical curricula, leaving future healthcare providers unprepared to recognize and manage it effectively. Solution: Interactive Bricks serve as a bottom-up approach to bridging the gap in medical education. The flexible, case-based format allows medical students to engage with real-world scenarios and develop culturally competent diagnostic skills. Culturally informed education ensures that BDD is
recognized across diverse populations, combating healthcare disparities. We hypothesize that enhancing medical education on BDD will empower future healthcare providers to identify and intervene BDD in marginalized
communities.
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22nd Annual Innovations in Medical Education Conference
Accepting All Bodies: Eating Disorder Education & Empowerment Among Asian Americans in Greater LA
Michael Suh (1), Hannah J. Lee, BA, (2) Matthew J. Yan, BS, BA, (2) Alexander J. Yan, BA, (3) Euna Lee, (4) Roy Li, BS, (5) Grace Im, (6), Jennifer Jeon, BA, (7) Katie Fang, (1) Joshua Tseng MD, MBA, (8) Jason Bahk, MD, (2), Francis Lu, MD, (9) Kenneth Wong, MD (10)
(1) University of California, Los Angeles (2) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (3) Boston College (4) Williams College (5) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (6) University of California, San Diego (7) Brown University (8) Chinatown Service Center Health (9) University of California, Davis (10) University of Southern California
Background: Asian Americans, comprising 6.3% of the U.S. population and the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group, have seen a rising prevalence of eating disorders. Despite their vulnerability, research on eating disorders among Asian Americans remains significantly understudied. Acculturative stress—the distress from balancing dominant and native cultures—has been linked to the onset and maintenance of eating disorders in Asian Americans. Many report using eating disorders to cope with rapid cultural transitions and conflicting body image messages from U.S. and native Asian cultures. Despite this, Asian Americans have the lowest rate of service utilization among ethnic groups for eating disorders. Stigma plays a key role, with mental health conditions often associated with poor parenting or hereditary flaws, leading to fear of shame and social repercussions. Existing eating disorder treatments, largely based on white samples, fail to account for cultural factors like familial stress, model minority myth, parental criticism, and internalized shame. These aspects are essential for providing effective care to this at-risk group. Culturally sensitive prevention interventions are critical for addressing this issue.
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2024 Association of Medicine and Psychiatry Annual Meeting
Novel Culturally Competent Educational Curriculum for Identifying Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Marginalized Communities of Color: A Pre-Clerkship Training Initiative
Background: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a serious mental health condition characterized by an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in physical appearance, which can lead to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning. BDD is underdiagnosed and undertreated in marginalized communities of color due to cultural stigmas, lack of awareness, and limited access to mental health resources. Following COVID-19, the prevalence of BDD and mental health awareness has significantly increased, making it crucial to address this gap in medical education. Current curricula often do not adequately cover these disparities, leading to gaps in knowledge and skills among future healthcare providers5. By developing Bricks specifically focused on identifying BDD in these communities, we aim to fill this critical gap. This project complements existing curricula by providing targeted, culturally sensitive educational resources that promote awareness and understanding of BDD in diverse populations, ultimately improving patient outcomes and fostering health equity.
Hannah J. Lee, BA, (1) Matthew J. Yan, BS, BA, (1) Euna Lee, (2) Alexander J. Yan, BA, (3) Roy Li, BS, (4) Jennifer Jeon, BA, (5) Grace Im, (6) Michael Suh, (7) Jason Bahk, MD, (1)
(1) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2) Williams College (3) Boston College (4) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (5) Brown University (6) University of California, San Diego (7) University of California, Los Angeles
APAMSA’s 30th Annual National Conference
A-Team Med: A is for Attestation, Leveraging Narrative Medicine to Empower Asian Americans
to be Seen and Heard
Background: The Asian American experience is often an overlooked one in society that is seen but not heard. For example, an NIH study found Asian Americans compose 20% of the permanent workforce, yet only 6% hold senior leadership positions. Additionally, the rise of Asian hate crimes following the COVID-19 pandemic, has perpetuated a series of violence and harmful stereotypes for all Asian Americans. Asian Americans are not a monolith. Now more than ever is it necessary for the diverse voices of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community to be heard.
PROJECT: A is for Attestation’s aims to interview Asian American physician-leaders practicing in academia, community health centers, and beyond, regarding their career journeys, and experience navigating the proverbial “Bamboo Ceiling.” Leveraging open dialogue, we aim to re-author the AANHPI experience towards empowering the next generation of Asian American adolescents to become the authors of their own story.
Matthew Yan, BS, BA (1); Hannah Lee BA, (1); Euna Lee (2), Roy Li, BS (3); Alexander Yan (4); Jennifer Jeon, BA (5); Amanda Rhee, MD, MS (6); Joshua Tseng, MD, MBA (7); Jason Bahk, MD (1)
(1) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2) Williams College (3) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (4) Boston College (5) Brown University (6) Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (7) Chinatown Service Center Health
2024 Conference on Adolescent Health
School-based Prevention Program in South Korea for Eating Disorders and Body Dysmorphia
Hannah J. Lee, BA (1); Matthew J. Yan, BS, BA (1); Euna Lee (2); Carl Brenneman, BS, MA (3); Roy Li, BS (4); Jennifer Jeon, BA (5); Alexander J. Yan (6); Grace Kim (7); Jason Bahk, MD (1); Joshua Tseng, MD, MBA (8); Ohmar Myint, MD, MS (1)
(1) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2) Williams College (3) Busan Foreign School (4) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (5) Brown University (6) Boston College (7) University of California, San Diego (8) Chinatown Service Center Health
Background: Eating disorder and body dysmorphia are not exclusive to the U.S. but pervade widely among South Korean adolescents. A recent study indicates that nearly 22.5% of South Korean adolescents endorse unhealthy weight control behaviors, such as diet pills, fasting, use of laxatives or diuretics, and vomiting, in 2019. More importantly, body dissatisfaction has been positively associated with suicide ideation among Korean teens, the leading cause of adolescent death in South Korea. Our initiative intends to address this public health phenomenon at Busan Foreign School through a weight-neutral, health-based prevention program.
21st Annual Innovations in Medical Education Conference
Introducing A-Team Med: Voice of the Asian American Experience
Yan, Matthew J., BS, BA (1); Lee, Hannah J., BA (1); Li, Roy, BS (2); Jeon, Jennifer, BA (3); Euna Lee (4); Bahk, Jason E., MD (1)
(1) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (3) Brown University (4) Williams College
Need: The Asian American experience is often an overlooked one in society that is seen but not heard. For example, an NIH study found Asian Americans compose 20% of the permanent workforce, yet only 6% hold senior leadership positions. Additionally, the rise of Asian hate crimes following the COVID-19 pandemic, has perpetuated a series of violence and harmful stereotypes for all Asian Americans. Asian Americans are not a monolith. Now more than ever is it necessary for the diverse voices of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community to be heard. Thus, A-Team Med draws inspiration from narrative medicine and aims to encapsulate the unique power of storytelling. We believe that testimonies and open dialogue are at the core of A-Team Med’s mission towards empowering the next generation of prospective Asian American medical students and youth towards embracing their voice, filling in the blank, and becoming the authors of their own story. A-Team Med’s slogan is “A is for __” Intentionally, left blank for individuals to fill-in their testimony of the Asian American experience, there are infinite words that begin with the letter A and we challenge you to fill in the blank. What does the A mean to you?
2023 Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association Region VII Conference
Exploring the Multi-faceted Risk of Eating
Disorders among Asian Americans
Euna Lee (1); Hannah J. Lee BA (2); Matthew J. Yan BS, BA (2)
(1) Williams College (2) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Background: Approximately 28.8 million Americans experience an eating disorder in their lifetime. Historically, eating disorders (ED) have been perceived to predominantly affect white women, but researchers are now discovering that EDs occur across various racial and gender groups. The extent to which sociocultural aspects and culture-specific features can influence the risk of ED has yet to be studied, especially in Asian Americans. Considerably very few studies have examined the gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and care of the diverse Asian American populations. Understanding these nuances is critical in addressing the increasing concerns for EDs post COVID-19 as well as developing culture-specific interventions and treatments. Through a literature review, this study focuses specifically on the reasons behind disparities in eating disorder research, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder, among Asian American populations.
2023 American Medical Association Research Challenge
A Critical Analysis of Eating Disorders Among Asian Americans and Actionable Recommendations
Matthew J. Yan BS, BA, Hannah J. Lee BA
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Background: Asian Americans, comprising 6.3% of the US population and the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group, have seen a rising prevalence of eating disorders. However, research on the relationship between Asian Americans and eating disorders remains significantly understudied. Understanding these nuances is crucial due to the vulnerable status of Asian Americans from a social determinants of health perspective. The cultural preference for thin body types in Eastern societies, combined with the influence of K-Pop and Asian media on mainstream American culture, may contribute to increased eating disorders, disordered eating, and body dysmorphia among Asian Americans. Moreover, the lack of Asian American role models and negative racial stereotypes, particularly impacting Asian American males, add to the challenges they face. This study aims to examine the current state of eating disorder research among Asian American populations, identifying reasons for the research gap and shedding light on factors influencing the development and exacerbation of eating disorders in this community.
