Research on Discrimination and Health: An Exploratory Study of Unresolved Conceptual and Measurement Issues

Abstract

Objectives Our goal in this study was to better understand racial and socioeconomic status (SES) variations in experiences of racial and nonracial discrimination. Methods We used 1999 and 2000 data from the YES Health Study, which involved a community sample of 50 Black and 50 White respondents drawn from 4 neighborhoods categorized according to racial group (majority Black or majority White) and SES (≤ 150% or > 250% of the poverty line). Qualitative and quantitative analyses examined experiences of discrimination across these neighborhoods. Results More than 90% of Blacks and Whites described the meaning of unfair treatment in terms of injustice and felt certain about the attribution of their experiences of discrimination. These experiences triggered similar emotional reactions (most frequently anger and frustration) and levels of stress across groups, and low-SES Blacks and Whites reported higher levels of discrimination than their moderate-SES counterparts. Conclusions Experiences of discrimination were commonplace and linked to similar emotional responses and levels of stress among both Blacks and Whites of low and moderate SES. Effects were the same whether experiences were attributed to race or to other reasons.

Perceived Racial Discrimination and Negative-Mood–Related Drinking Among African American College Students

“…Although multiple theories have been proposed to explain why African Americans would respond to discrimination with problem drinking, rarely have micro-longitudinal data been used to explore the daily processes that might give rise to this maladaptive behavior. The current study asserts that racial discrimination, a pernicious form of chronic stress commonly experienced by African Americans of all ages (McLaughlin et al, 2010;Seaton et al, 2008;Williams et al, 2012), may engender drinking problems by conferring a vulnerability for negativemood-related drinking. Alcohol consumption in response to negative moods, in turn, has been identified as an important predictor of alcohol problems independent of drinking levels (Cooper et al, 1995;Simons et al, 2005) and has been shown to have stronger associations with drinking problems among African Americans versus European Americans (Bradizza et al, 1999;Cooper et al, 1992).…”

Nurses’ Perceptions of Their Cultural Competence in Caring for Diverse Patient Populations

“…Diverse ethnic groups are at a higher risk for chronic illnesses, have shorter life expectancies, and are less likely to receive vital preventative healthcare screenings (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2015;Richardson & Norris, 2010). As Williams et al (2012) note, low socioeconomic status, facing individual or institutional discrimination, and the stress of experiencing racial biases in health care further contribute to disparities in access to health care and treatment.…”

Perceptual Reasoning and Moral Competency as Predictors of Extraversion － A Preliminary Finding

“…Perceptual reasoning index which reflects one"s ability to think abstractly [29] and implies many meanings such as learning, planning, comprehending, imagination, making decisions, perception, and so on, did not predict extraversion. It has to be understood that intelligence is not restricted to only academic"s score and the ability to answer problems, but more of how a person is able to make use of their surroundings to their benefits with their intellect which differs for every person.…”