Understanding How Discrimination Can Affect Health
2019
This article published in Health Services Research reveals that discrimination is associated with multiple indicators of adverse cardiovascular disease. The study linked experiences with discrimination to incidence of obesity, cortisol production, and hypertension. African Americans had higher levels of allostatic load—a measure of physiological dysregulation—than White peers, showcasing the negative impacts that discrimination can have not only on mental health and well-being, but physical health as well. Understanding these outcomes makes it more feasible to understand racial and ethnic variations in health and health care utilization, and will require interventions even outside of the traditional domains of health policy.
Understanding How Discrimination Can Affect Health
Source:
Williams DR et al. Understanding How Discrimination Can Affect Health. Health Services Research 2019; 54(S2): 1374-1388. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.13222.