Washington, Jul 4 (IANS): Asian and black Americans have been more likely than other groups in the US to report negative experiences due to their race or ethnicity amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey conducted by Pew Research Center.

About four in 10 Asian and black respondents, namely 39 per cent and 38 per cent respectively, said people have acted as if they were uncomfortable around them because of their race or ethnicity since the outbreak, compared with 27 per cent Hispanic participants and 13 per cent white participants, reports Xinhua news agency.

Similarly, 42 per cent black adults and 36 per cent Asian Americans said they "worry others might be suspicious of them if they wear a mask in public", while 23 per cent Hispanic adults and 5 per cent white citizens raised the same concerns.

Also, about three in 10 Asian Americans, or 31 per cent, said they have been subject to slurs or jokes due to their race or ethnicity since the coronavirus outbreak, followed by 21 per cent black adults, 15 per cent Hispanic adults and 8 per cent white people.

The survey was conducted among 9,654 US adults between June 4-10.

It also found that a majority of Asian adults, or 58 per cent, said it is more common for people to express racist or racially insensitive views about Asian people than it was before the coronavirus outbreak.

In contrast, roughly four-in-10 white, black and Hispanic adults believed this is more common now.