Digital mental health support for Asian Americans
Official title: Anise Health: Digital Mental Health for Asian Americans
Funded at Anise Health INC · NIH-11193546 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A culturally tailored digital mental health program to help Asian American adults reduce depression, anxiety, and stress and stay engaged in care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Anise Health INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lewes, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $289,773 |
| NIH project number | 5R41MH134727-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193546 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Asian American adults (including young adults) experiencing depression, anxiety, or stress who have access to a smartphone or internet and are willing to use a digital mental health program.
✕Less likely to help
People without reliable internet or devices, or those in immediate psychiatric crisis who need in-person emergency care, are unlikely to benefit from this digital program.
What this research studies
You would use Anise Health's online platform and app that are designed specifically for Asian American experiences and cultural needs. The program includes culturally tailored content and care pathways meant to address sociocultural barriers that often lead people to drop out or find therapy ineffective. Early results from Anise show high engagement, strong retention, and symptom improvements in eight weeks, and this project will expand and refine that approach for more people. Most activities appear to be completed remotely through a smartphone or computer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make mental health care easier to access and more effective for Asian American patients, reducing symptoms and lowering dropout from treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Some digital mental health programs have reduced symptoms, and Anise's preliminary data show promising engagement and short-term symptom improvement, but culturally tailored tools for Asian Americans are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Anise Health INC
Lewes, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Alice — Anise Health INC
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Alice
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.