Dimensions of Perceived Racism and Self-Reported Health: Examination of Racial/Ethnic Differences and Potential Mediators

Abstract

Background Many details of the negative relationship between perceived racial/ethnic discrimination and health are poorly understood. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ ethnic differences in the relationship between perceived discrimination and self-reported health, identify dimensions of discrimination that drive this relationship, and explore psychological mediators. Methods Asian, Black, and Latino(a) adults (N=734) completed measures of perceived racial/ethnic discrimination, self-reported health, depression, anxiety, and cynical hostility. Results The association between perceived discrimination and poor self-reported health was significant and did not differ across racial/ethnic subgroups. Race-related social exclusion and threat/harassment uniquely contributed to poor health for all groups. Depression, anxiety, and cynical hostility fully mediated the effect of social exclusion on health, but did not fully explain the effect of threat. Conclusions Our results suggest that noxious effects of race-related exclusion and threat transcend between-group differences in discriminatory experiences. The effects of race-related exclusion and threat on health, however, may operate through different mechanisms.

Association Between Perceived Discrimination and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Problem Behaviors Among Preadolescent Youths

“…In addition, the discrimination measure was a combination of two items about "being treated badly" because of race/ethnicity or skin color. Prior research suggests that different dimensions of discrimination have distinct effects on health, 51 but we did not specifically assess the extent of discrimination in different contexts, the specific situations in which discrimination occurred, or the types of discrimination experienced. For example, when responding to our discrimination measure, participants may have included, but not distinguished between, acts of traumatic discrimination (e.g., physical assault), institutional discrimination (e.g., by school administration), and interpersonal discrimination (e.g., from classmates).…”

Status of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Hispanics/Latinos in the United States

“…221 Another study found that there were no variations between NHBs, NHWs, and Hispanics in the inverse associations of perceived discrimination and self-reported general health. 210 Coping mechanisms in response to perceived discrimination among the total Hispanic population or certain subpopulations may have similarities to or differences from those of NHBs, but this has not been studied. Validation of existing perceived discrimination instruments (mostly developed for NHBs) in Hispanics is also needed.…”

Dimensions of Racial Identity and Perceived Discrimination in Health Care

“…11 Building on these arguments, our study examines two measures of racial/ethnic identity -self-identified race/ethnicity and perceived attributed race/ethnicity (respondents' perceptions of how they are racially classified by others) -and their implications for perceived discrimination in health care, a prominent risk for a number of health outcomes. [16][17][18][19] …”

“…34 Thus, perceived discrimination in health care predicts a host of adverse outcomes, from poor self-reported health to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, birth outcomes, and mental health problems. [16][17][18][19][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] Previous research suggests that racial discrimination may be a critical mechanism linking the aspects of racial/ethnic identity to health outcomes.…”