Racial discrimination and allostatic load among First Nations Australians: a nationally representative cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Increased allostatic load is linked with racial discrimination exposure, providing a mechanism for the biological embedding of racism as a psychosocial stressor. We undertook an examination of how racial discrimination interacts with socioecological, environmental, and health conditions to affect multisystem dysregulation in a First Nations population. Methods We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) using indicators of life stress, socioeconomic background, and physical and mental health from a nationally representative sample of Australian Aboriginal adults (N = 2056). We used LCA with distal outcomes to estimate the effect of the latent class variable on our derived allostatic load index and conducted a stratified analysis to test whether allostatic load varied based on exposure to racial discrimination across latent classes. Results Our psychosocial, environmental, and health measures informed a four-class structure; ‘Low risk’, ‘Challenged but healthy’, ‘Mental health risk’ and ‘Multiple challenges’. Mean allostatic load was highest in ‘Multiple challenges’ compared to all other classes, both in those exposed (4.5; 95% CI: 3.9, 5.0) and not exposed (3.9; 95% CI: 3.7, 4.2) to racial discrimination. Allostatic load was significantly higher for those with exposure to racial discrimination in the ‘Multiple challenges’ class (t = 1.74, p = .04) and significantly lower in the ‘Mental health risk’ class (t = − 1.67, p = .05). Conclusions Racial discrimination may not always modify physiological vulnerability to disease. Social and economic contexts must be considered when addressing the impact of racism, with a focus on individuals and sub-populations experiencing co-occurring life challenges.

Racism and Indigenous Adolescent Development: A Scoping Review

“…Thus, future research could explore whether reductions in selfesteem mediate relations between racism and psychopathology outcomes. Given recent evidence linking racism to allostatic load (Cave et al., 2020b) future research should also consider heightened physiological responses to racism as mediating relations with psychopathology. Last, borrowing from Indigenous models of well‐being (Gee et al., 2014) research would benefit from examining relations between exposure to racism → (dis)connection to culture → and well‐being.…”

“…During this period, self regulation systems undergo rapid reorganization increasing youths' vulnerability to environmental stressors (Crone & Dahl, 2012; Luciana, 2013). Given that racism is associated with heightened allostatic load among Indigenous peoples (Cave et al., 2020b), race‐based stress may further tax Indigenous adolescents' already overburdened selfregulation systems. The adolescent brain is also acutely focused on social evaluation during identity development (Somerville, 2013).…”

Allostatic load in the context of disasters

“…Similarly, lower education and income levels are associated with higher AL and biological risk, independent of race/ethnicity or other factors ( Seeman et al, 2004 , Seeman et al, 2008 ; Beckie et al, 2012, Borrell et al, 2020 ). Thus, it is not surprising that populations of EJ and other disadvantaged communities may have increased AL and/or weakened immune responses ( Cave et al, 2020 , Dasco et al, 2020 ).…”

Racism in Australia: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Variations can also be found among studies focused on speci c groups, for instance, Indigenous people, who have been among the most widely studied in racism research [11]. National studies of mixed age groups using repeated crosssectional designs have found different rates of unfair treatment of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, including 15% in the 2012-2013 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) [23], 35% in the 2014-2015 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS) [24], and 37% in the 2018 Mayi Kuwayu Study [25, p. 5].…”