# Anise Health: Culturally-Sensitive Digital Mental Health for Asian Americans

> **NIH NIH R41** · ANISE HEALTH INC · 2024 · $311,413

## Abstract

Abstract
The 22 million Asian Americans (AAs) are up to 5 times more likely to drop out of mental health
treatments prematurely and 50% more likely to report such treatment being ineffective
compared to their White counterparts. As such, AA young adults have been the only
racial/ethnic group with suicide as the leading cause of death. Since the onset of the pandemic,
AAs have experienced the greatest increase in the prevalence of depression and anxiety among
all racial/ethnic groups driven by the exponential rise in anti-Asian hate and violence, with 41%
of AAs reporting current anxiety or depression. However, 62% of AAs with current mental health
diagnoses do not have access to effective mental health services, due to a lack of
evidence-based methods for addressing cultural stressors in therapy. Despite the association of
deep-rooted systemic and interpersonal racism (e.g., perpetual foreigner stereotype and Model
Minority Myth) and bicultural tension widely experienced by AAs with poor mental health
outcomes, current evidence-based practices (“EBP”) are unable to effectively treat the impact of
such stressors for AAs. While efforts have been made to adapt EBP for certain minoritized
groups, none to date have been developed to address such stressors in therapy for AAs. Anise
Health is a pioneer in the technology-enabled delivery of culturally-adapted mental health care
for AAs. Preliminary data have demonstrated Anise’s ability to drive high patient engagement
and retention, resulting in statistically significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and
stress symptoms in just 8 weeks. We propose to challenge and innovate the current clinical
practice paradigms by creating accessible, culturally sensitive, and inclusive digital tools for
AAs. Aims: 1: Adapt and further develop evidenced-based, culturally-sensitive digital mental
health clinical tools that target the impact of race-based trauma and bicultural tension on mental
health outcomes for the AA community. 2: Assess clinician receptiveness and use of Anise’s
online platform tools for managing race-based trauma and bicultural tension with their AA clients
for eight weeks, and revise accordingly. 3: Evaluate the initial efficacy of the online platform
tools for managing the impact of race-based trauma and bicultural tension with 64 AA clients. A
successful outcome of this proposal will be digital materials that effectively address the impact
of race-based trauma and bicultural stress for AAs on Anise’s digital health platform. It will be
ready for a larger clinical trial and wider commercialization with partner institutions, which would
be the subject of a future phase II submission.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11008667
- **Project number:** 1R41MH134727-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** ANISE HEALTH INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Brian TaeHyuk Keum
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $311,413
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-16 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11008667

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11008667, Anise Health: Culturally-Sensitive Digital Mental Health for Asian Americans (1R41MH134727-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11008667. Licensed CC0.

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