“Racism Still Exists”: A Public Health Intervention Using Racism “Countermarketing” Outdoor Advertising in a Black Neighborhood

Abstract

The negative health effects of racism have been well documented, but how to intervene to redress these effects has been little studied. This study reports on RISE (Racism Still Exists), a high-risk, high-reward public health intervention that used outdoor advertising to disseminate a "countermarketing" campaign in New York City (NYC). Over 6 months, the campaign advertised stark facts about the persistence of racism in the USA. A probability sample of N = 144 participants from two predominantly Black NYC neighborhoods completed measures of health status, health behaviors, and social attitudes. Three months postintervention, statistically significant declines in psychological distress were seen among study participants who were exposed to the campaign compared to those who were not. There were no changes in other hypothesized outcomes. The campaign also generated significant public discourse, particularly in social media. The results suggest that racism countermarketing campaigns may have promise as a community-based intervention to address health inequalities.

Estimating the mental health costs of racial discrimination

“…The findings also indicate that given some of the costs resulting from EOD are avoidable, measures taken by governmental and non-governmental institutions to curb racial discrimination are likely to be socially and economically feasible. Countries with racially and ethnically diverse population can therefore realise substantial savings by enforcing effective anti-discrimination measures [73]. …”

Active coping moderates associations among race-related stress, rumination, and depressive symptoms in emerging adult African American women

“…Previous work has demonstrated the potential effectiveness of relatively broad intervention strategies. For example, Kwate (2014) conducted a public health intervention that used outdoor advertising to disseminate a “countermarketing” campaign. Over a 6-month period, Kwate showcased six advertisements (e.g., “Don't Want to Get Stopped by the NYPD?…”

Mental health impacts of racial discrimination in Australian culturally and linguistically diverse communities: a cross-sectional survey

“…Although evidence of the health benefits of anti-racism interventions has only recently emerged [ 86 ], study findings suggest that preventing racial discrimination will be a more constructive approach to protecting the health of racial and ethnic minority communities than relying on the use of appropriate response mechanisms after a racist incident has occurred. A strong understanding of the patterns of racism experienced and ways in which racism influences health is therefore crucial for the development and implementation of relevant intervention strategies and allows more effective targeting of efforts to improve the health of affected populations [ 9 ].…”