Perceived discrimination and self-rated health in Canada: an exploratory study

Abstract

BackgroundOur objective was to explore whether the link between discrimination and self-rated health status differed as a function of discrimination type, including discrimination based on ethnicity/culture, race, physical appearance (other than skin colour), religion, age, and disability.MethodsA sample of 19,422 men and women aged 15 and older was included in this study. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to measure the association between perceived discrimination types and self-reported health status defined as excellent/good versus fair/poor.ResultsThe prevalence of experiencing any discrimination in the past five years was higher among those who rated their health as fair or poor (21.8 %) compared to those who rated their health as excellent or good (14.5 %, p < 0.0001). After controlling for all other covariates, there was a positive association between poorer self-rated health and two of the six specific discrimination variables entered into the model: perceived discrimination based on physical appearance (other than skin colour) (OR = 1.79, 95 % CI: 1.24, 2.58) and perceived discrimination based on a having a disability (OR = 1.59, 95 % CI: 1.04, 2.41).ConclusionsOur main findings indicate that perceived discrimination based on physical appearance and disability may have an adverse impact on health. The results highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to improving health outcomes that should include policies that are targeted against specific types of discrimination.

Disability discrimination and well-being in the United Kingdom: a prospective cohort study

“…Our study adds to this existing evidence by demonstrating this link in a UK-based sample for the first time. Similar to earlier work from Australian, European and North American samples,19 24 27 41 we observed a relationship between perceived disability discrimination and poorer self-rated health. Cross-sectional studies cannot determine whether perceived disability discrimination predicts poor mental well-being, or whether perceptions of discrimination are an indicator of psychological distress.…”

“…Research has also linked perceived disability discrimination with lower life satisfaction in Canadian adolescents,21 Korean women with severe disabilities22 and Israeli nationals with physical disabilities 23. Perceived disability discrimination has been associated with poorer self-rated health cross-sectionally in four studies19 24–26 including a general population analysis of 52 458 individuals, from the European Social Survey 25…”

Discrimination and avoidance due to disability in Australia: evidence from a National Cross Sectional Survey

“…Furthermore, reports of discrimination were found to be more common among those living in disadvantageous circumstances. The association between experiencing disability discrimination and poorer self-rated health has also previously been observed in Canada [ 13 ]. More generally, however, there is a lack of nationally representative empirical evidence on the prevalence and situations or contexts in which disability discrimination is experienced in Australia.…”

Exposure to discrimination and subsequent changes in self-rated health: prospective evidence from the UK's Life Opportunities Survey

“…1 This is problematic as: (1) disability discrimination is often more prevalent than discrimination based on other characteristics such as gender or ethnicity; 7 and (2) a small number of cross-sectional studies have suggested that exposure to disability discrimination may have a stronger association with poor health than exposure to other forms of discrimination. 8,9 The few population-based studies that have investigated the association between disability discrimination and health are primarily cross sectional and have reported that exposure to disability discrimination is associated with poorer self-reported health [8][9][10][11] and psychological distress. [10][11][12] We are aware of only two The one longitudinal studies which have addressed this issue.…”