Multiracial Women Research Articles

Fractures by race and ethnicity in a diverse sample of postmenopausal women: a current evaluation among Hispanic and Asian origin groups.

Using 1998-2022 Women's Health Initiative (WHI) data, our study provides contemporary fracture data by race and ethnicity, specifically focusing on Hispanic and Asian women. Fractures of interest included any clinical, hip, and major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs). We utilized the updated race and ethnicity information collected in 2003, which included seven Asian and five Hispanic origin groups. We computed crude and age-standardized fracture incidence rates per 10 000 woman-years across race and ethnic categories and by Asian and Hispanic origin. We used Cox proportional hazards model, adjusting for age and WHI clinical trial arm, to evaluate the risk of fracture (1) by race compared to White women, (2) Asian origin compared to White women, (3) Hispanic compared to non-Hispanic women, and (4) Asian and Hispanic origins compared the most prevalent origin group. Over a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 19.4 (9.2-24.2) years, 44.2% of the 160 824 women experienced any clinical fracture, including 36 278 MOFs and 8962 hip fractures. Compared to White women, Black, Pacific Islander, Asian, and multiracial women had significantly lower risk of any clinical and MOFs, while only Black and Asian women had significantly lower hip fracture risk. Within Asian women, Filipina women had 24% lower risk of any clinical fracture compared to Japanese women. Hispanic women had significantly lower risk of any clinical, hip, and MOF fractures compared to non-Hispanic women, with no differences in fracture risk observed within Hispanic origin groups. In this diverse sample of postmenopausal women, we confirmed racial and ethnic differences in fracture rates and risk, with novel findings among within Asian and Hispanic subgroups. These data can aid in future longitudinal studies evaluate contributors to racial and ethnic differences in fractures.

Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in early pregnancies- a Singapore study.

Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone and mineral metabolism. There is increased interest in understanding prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy as many studies report association of low vitamin D levels with obstetric complications and neonatal sequelae. There is a paucity of studies in Singapore evaluating levels of vitamin D levels during the first trimester of pregnancies. We aim to study the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in this population. Our study assessed vitamin D levels in these women. Vitamin D (Plasma 25(OH)D concentration) levels in multiracial women during the first trimester were collected via venepuncture at their booking antenatal visit. They were stratified into sufficient ≥30ng/ml, insufficient ≥20ng/ml and <30ng/ml, moderately deficient ≥10ng/ml and <20ng/ml and severely deficient <10ng/ml. 93 women were included in this study. Only 2.2% of our study population had sufficient vitamin D levels. In women who had insufficient levels, the heavier the weight, the more likely to be vitamin D deficient. Interestingly, we also note that the older the patient, the less likely they are to be deficient. In women with periconceptual multivitamin supplementation, the average vitamin D level for those with supplementation was 2.10ng/ml higher than those without. Majority of patients were recruited from a single study member's patient pool who were mostly Chinese. Prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in general obstetric patients with higher BMI and darker skinned patients may be even lower in Singapore. The high prevalence of Vitamin D insufficiency in our patients prove that it is a prominent problem in our population. We aim to implement screening of vitamin D levels as part of antenatal investigations in the first trimester and recommend supplementation as required. We also hope to evaluate the association of low vitamin D levels with obstetric or neonatal complications further understanding its implications.

The Business of Race-making in the Torrid Zone: Dr Jonathan Troup’s Illustrated Diary of Dominica, 1789–90

This article focuses on the manuscript diary of a Scottish doctor, Jonathan Troup, who during a truncated fifteen-month period, from 1789 to 1790, practised medicine on the island of Dominica, part of the climatic ‘torrid zone’ in the British West Indies. While the relevant textual contents of his diary are already familiar to scholars of medical humanities, the analysis seeks to complement and extend these existing discussions by addressing an aspect of the illustrated and inscribed pages of Troup’s diary that has not been previously discussed, namely his diurnal account of race-making. The article argues that Troup was a product of Scottish enlightenment medical training, with its blended curricula of medicine, natural history and moral philosophy. The diary in turn, is shown to be a product of the diagnostic tools of that education, which equipped practitioners with the skills to classify human diversity through careful observation in the ‘colonial field’. In his diurnal sketches, Troup employs a tiered racial system or calculus of colour to differentiate between peoples of different races, based on the visual proximity of their skin to either European whiteness or shades of blackness associated with African descent. In the textual descriptions that variously accompany, envelope, elucidate and ignore the drawings, Troup’s race-making schema is shown to be informed by factors other than the gradations of skin complexion, including social temper and moral temperament. Such factors are given particular prominence in his discussion of multi-racial women, making gender an innate constituent of his race-making schema. The article is framed by the concept of business, which for most professionals in the Caribbean involved more than one economic occupation. It offers a prognosis as to the significance of Troup’s diary for a range of academic disciplines, historical, literary and visual, and their discreet historiographies which pertain to his imperial careering.

Rape and Sexual Coercion Related Pregnancy in the United States

IntroductionSexual violence is a major public health problem in the United States (U.S.) that is associated with numerous health impacts, including pregnancy. U.S. population-based estimates (2010-2012) found that 3 million women experienced a rape-related pregnancy during their lifetimes. The current study presents more recent estimates of rape and sexual coercion-related pregnancy and examines prevalence by demographic characteristics. MethodsData years 2016/2017 were pooled from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, a random-digit-dial telephone survey of U.S. non-institutionalized adults 18 years and older. The analysis, conducted in 2023, examined lifetime experience of rape-related pregnancy, sexual coercion-related pregnancy, or both among U.S. women. Authors calculated prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals and conducted pairwise chi-square tests (p-value < 0.05) to describe experiences by current age, race/ethnicity, and region of residence among U.S. women overall and among victims. ResultsOne in 20 women in the U.S., or over 5.9 million women, experienced a pregnancy from either rape, sexual coercion, or both during their lifetimes. Non-Hispanic Multiracial women experienced a higher prevalence of all three outcomes compared with non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic women. Among victims who experienced pregnancy from rape, 28% experienced a sexually transmitted disease, 66% were injured, and over 80% were fearful or concerned for their safety. ConclusionsPregnancy as a consequence of rape or sexual coercion is experienced by an estimated 6 million U.S. women. Prevention efforts may include health care screenings to identify violence exposure and use of evidence-based prevention approaches to reduce sexual violence.

Social Utilitarianism in Digital Interactions and Distant Worlds

Online social networks are increasingly consequential in individuals’ professional and personal lives, as many people engage online to create and maintain meaningful relationships and satisfy their needs for social connection. People tend to curate their online representations (profile pictures for different websites, videogame avatars, bitmojis, profile page bios, etc.) with almost as much regularity as their corporeal (real-world) self-presentation. As such, the current study explored the socially utilitarian choices people make when presenting themselves in both the corporeal and virtual public spheres. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing various aspects of their self-presentation and behavior in real-life, social media, and online videogames. We found several differences in self-presentation strategies in both online and offline contexts based primarily on ethnoracial background, sex, and skin tone. Minority women (particularly Multiracial women) reported dyeing their hair significantly more than White women, and the overwhelming majority reported dyeing their hair a lighter color than their natural hair color. Women use more emojis and exclamation points in emails and digital interactions than men, and they are more likely to use skin lightening filters before posting a selfie on social media. In addition, we found a descriptive pattern indicating that straight women and bisexual women dating men use more filters than lesbians and bisexual women dating women. Finally, in online videogames, men who are below average height reported creating videogame avatars that were taller than they were, individuals with darker skin tones reported creating avatars with skin tones lighter than their own, and introverts reported that they pretend to be extroverted in videogames more than extroverts reported pretending to be introverted. This study highlights the importance of online self-presentation on people’s social lives and the strategies that people utilize to align how they believe they are socially perceived with a more idealized version of themselves, or a version of themselves that will confer greater social capital than what they believe they naturally embody. Given the increasing possibilities of identity customization in the virtual public sphere, further research is needed to fully understand the complex relationship between online and offline self-presentation.

Ate scholars: Cultivating community amongst multiracial women of color in graduate school

ABSTRACT This critical duoethnography examines the experiences of Multiracial Women of Color graduate students in order to inform best practices when advising and working with Women of Color in graduate school. As Multiracial Women of Color the authors navigate not feeling racially enough, essentialism, exotification, and a desire for community, membership, and sister solidarity.

Intersectionality of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Otolaryngology Match From 2013 to 2019.

Racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in the otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) match have been described individually, but not intersectionally. Intersectionality recognizes how multiple forms of discrimination (e.g., sexism, racism) can have a combined effect. The objective of this study was to analyze racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in the OHNS match using an intersectional approach. Cross-sectional evaluation of data from otolaryngology applicants from the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and of corresponding otolaryngology residents from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) from 2013 to 2019. Data were stratified by race, ethnicity, and gender. The Cochran-Armitage tests assessed trends over time in the proportions of applicants and corresponding residents. Chi-square tests with Yates' continuity correction were performed to evaluate differences between the aggregate proportions of applicants and corresponding residents. The proportion of White men in the resident pool was increased compared to the applicant pool (ACGME 0.417, ERAS 0.375; Δ + 0.042; 95% CI 0.012 to 0.071; p= 0.03). This was also the case for White women (ACGME 0.206, ERAS 0.175; Δ + 0.031; 95% CI 0.007 to 0.055; p= 0.05). In contrast, there was a smaller proportion of residents compared to applicants among Multiracial men (ACGME 0.014, ERAS 0.047; Δ - 0.033; 95% CI -0.043 to -0.023; p< 0.001) and Multiracial women (ACGME 0.010, ERAS 0.026; Δ - 0.016; 95% CI -0.024 to -0.008; p <0.001). The findings of this study imply that White men have a persistent advantage, while several racial, ethnic, and gender minorities are disadvantaged in the OHNS match. Further research is necessary to examine why these differences exist in residency selection, including evaluation during the screening, reviewing, interviewing, and ranking stages. Laryngoscope, 133:2558-2563, 2023.

Mixedness and Intersectionality: The Use of Relief Maps to Understand the Experiences of Multiracial Women of African Descent in Spain

This article analyzes the experiences of multiracial women of African descent in Catalonia, Spain—looking at their identity processes, social relations, experiences of racialization and discrimination, and strategies of resistance—using a novel qualitative research method called “Relief Maps,” a very useful tool for the study of social inequalities from an intersectional and multilocational perspective. Relief Maps are a data collection tool and a means of visualizing and analyzing data—providing a graphical representation of interviewee narratives that discuss processes of social inclusion and exclusion. The maps represent three dimensions of experience: (1) psychological (indicating the respondent’s level of discomfort or well-being); (2) geographical (including at least five physical or experiential locations: e.g., home, street, work, school); and (3) social (examining seven social variables or aspects of identity: i.e., gender, ethnicity/skin color, age, sexual orientation, social class, physical appearance, and religion). In this way, the maps show where greater or lesser well-being or discomfort is experienced by the respondent based on each aspect of identity, thus indicating personal places of oppression, places of controversial intersections, neutral places, and places of relief. We argue that this supplementary investigative technique is highly relevant to research in the social sciences, particularly in the field of mixed-race, critical race, and ethnic studies, as it provides an intersectional, reflective, nuanced, and contextual lens for understanding complex social phenomena, leading to information of greater analytical strength.

Navigating Multiracial Identities for Women in a Predominantly Monoracial Society: A Qualitative Inquiry.

The experiences of five multiracial women were documented in this study. A thematic analysis with a phenomenological framework was applied to the data analysis. Findings revealed five primary themes, including (a) experiences of microaggressions, (b) uniquely defined intersectionality, (c) making sense of one’s multiracial identity, (d) significance of relational support, and (e) openness and understanding. Limitations of the study, as well as some helpful recommendations for counselors, are discussed.

“Everything I Believe In Is Rooted in Love”: Women and Non-binary Activists of Color Fighting for the Practice and Promise of Abolition

The police murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in the first half of 2020 sparked a powerful movement against police violence, white supremacy, and the carceral state with millions taking to the streets in the U.S. and globally. The movement coalesced around calls for police accountability, and to defund and abolish the prison industrial complex. While these calls for abolition were certainly not new, they reached national dialogues in a way not previously experienced. Although there are significant projects exploring abolition as a theory, there is not much scholarship on the specific area of the social movement that advocates for the abolition of police and prisons in practice. In this paper, I use an intersectional framework to explore participation in movement spaces, critiques of the criminal legal system, and visions for alternatives to the system among Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and multi-racial women and non-binary activists and organizers who engaged in the uprising of 2020. The findings reveal important insights into how white supremacy and patriarchy interplay with activism and the carceral state, as well as impact the possibilities for the transformation of the criminal legal system. Ultimately, experiences with intersectional oppression and state violence were central to this group’s commitment to the practice and promise of abolition rooted in the ethos of Black radical feminism.

Association of Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Drinking and Smoking With the Risk of Stillbirth

Prenatal smoking is a known modifiable risk factor for stillbirth; however, the contribution of prenatal drinking or the combination of smoking and drinking is uncertain. To examine whether prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco cigarettes is associated with the risk of stillbirth. The Safe Passage Study was a longitudinal, prospective cohort study with data collection conducted between August 1, 2007, and January 31, 2015. Pregnant women from Cape Town, South Africa, and the Northern Plains region of the US were recruited and followed up throughout pregnancy. Data analysis was performed from November 1, 2018, to November 20, 2020. Maternal consumption of alcohol and tobacco cigarettes in the prenatal period. The main outcomes were stillbirth, defined as fetal death at 20 or more weeks' gestation, and late stillbirth, defined as fetal death at 28 or more weeks' gestation. Self-reported alcohol and tobacco cigarette consumption was captured at the recruitment interview and up to 3 scheduled visits during pregnancy. Participants were followed up during pregnancy to obtain delivery outcome. Of 11663 pregnancies (mean [SD] gestational age at enrollment, 18.6 [6.6] weeks) in 8506 women for whom the pregnancy outcome was known by 20 weeks' gestation or later and who did not terminate their pregnancies, there were 145 stillbirths (12.4 per 1000 pregnancies) and 82 late stillbirths (7.1 per 1000 pregnancies). A total of 59% of pregnancies were in women from South Africa, 59% were in multiracial women, 23% were in White women, 17% were in American Indian women, and 0.9% were in women of other races. A total of 8% were older than 35 years. In 51% of pregnancies, women reported no alcohol or tobacco cigarette exposure (risk of stillbirth, 4 per 1000 pregnancies). After the first trimester, 18% drank and smoked (risk of stillbirth, 15 per 1000 births), 9% drank only (risk of stillbirth, 10 per 1000 pregnancies), and 22% smoked only (risk of stillbirth, 8 per 1000 pregnancies). Compared with the reference group (pregnancies not prenatally exposed or without any exposure after the first trimester), the adjusted relative risk of late stillbirth was 2.78 (98.3% CI, 1.12-6.67) for pregnancies prenatally exposed to drinking and smoking, 2.22 (98.3% CI, 0.78-6.18) for pregnancies prenatally exposed to drinking only after the first trimester, and 1.60 (98.3% CI, 0.64-3.98) for pregnancies prenatally exposed to smoking only after the first trimester. The adjusted relative risk for all stillbirths was 1.75 (98.3% CI, 0.96-3.18) for dual exposure, 1.26 (98.3% CI, 0.58-2.74) for drinking only, and 1.27 (98.3% CI, 0.69-2.35) for smoking only compared with the reference group. These results suggest that combined drinking and smoking after the first trimester of pregnancy, compared with no exposure or quitting before the end of the first trimester, may be associated with a significantly increased risk of late stillbirth.

Colorism's impact on the experiences of Black/White multiracial women at predominately White institutions

AbstractThis article provides context for understanding how colorism shapes the identity and lived experiences of multiracial women in college and how higher education institutions can create inclusive and supportive environments for racially mixed students on their campus.

Motivations of Multiracial women in monoracial sororities at a predominately white institution

AbstractThis article explores the motivations, and decision‐making factors implored by twelve Multiracial women in various monoracial sororities at a predominately White institution and provides suggestions for practitioners.

Multiracial Chinese American women studying abroad in China: The intersectionality of gender, race, and language learning

This case study addresses the theme of mobility and intercultural education by focusing on the study abroad experience of three multiracial Chinese Americans in China. Research on study abroad and language learning has shown the salience of gender in intercultural learning, but women from minoritized groups have rarely been the focus in the literature. Meanwhile, heritage language speakers may encounter complex negotiations of identity and belonging while studying abroad in their “ancestral homeland” (e.g., Jing-Schmidt et al., 2016). Multiracial women, who may linguistically be categorized as heritage speakers, have to respond to the challenges to which study abroad women are subjected and also make sense of their gendered ethnoracial identity. In this study, we focus on the experience of three multiracial Chinese American women. In our findings, gender emerged as a frequent theme across all focal participants, and their responses to their gendered experience aligned with their various interpretations of their multiracial Chinese identity. The results highlight the intersectionality of gender and race for women from minoritized backgrounds. We conclude that intercultural education should recognize the multiplicities of identity among our students and adopt a descriptive approach that acknowledges cultural identity to be fluid and evolving.

Archives and the Labor of Building Feminist Theory: An Interview with Sharon Davenport

This article traces the labor of archiving the papers of the Third World Women’s Alliance (TWWA)--a multiracial women’s organization that grew out of the Civil Rights/Black Power movements and maintained active chapters in NYC and the Bay Area during the 1970s. By focusing on the labor of archiving, I take a lead from the methodologies of social-movement scholars in rhetoric and writing who orient to the behind-the-scenes labor of organizing, and the everyday textual labor of building movements and preserving movement histories (Leon; Monberg). My embodied experiences as a cross-disciplinary teacher/scholar of rhetoric and composition and women’s and gender studies, and organizer who prioritizes behind-the-scenes, feminized labor like internal document preparation and childcare—orient me to the labor that scaffolds more public-facing work like publishing theory and speaking publicly. Drawing on an interview with Sharon Davenport, who processed the TWWA’s archives, this article situates archiving as indispensable, feminized, and often-invisible labor that builds the context for feminist writing, theorizing, and teaching in institutions of higher education.

Tipping the Multiracial Color‑Line: Racialized Preferences of Multiracial Online Daters.

Building on previous work on US multiraciality, we analyze the messaging patterns of Asian-white, Hispanic-white, and black-white multiracial heterosexual users on one of the largest mainstream dating websites in the USA. We consider how multiracials' online dating behaviors reflect, accommodate or challenge racialized desirability hierarchies among heterosexual daters. The study's results illustrate that Hispanic-white multiracial men show similar preferences to both their multiracial and monoracial in-groups, while Asian-white and black-white multiracial men most prefer their multiracial counterparts. Hispanic-white multiracial women, on the other hand, privilege whiteness and multiraciality, while Asian-white multiracial women show most preference for their multiracial in-groups. Overall, our findings illustrate that both multiracial men and women's online dating behaviors illustrate a linked privileging of white multiraciality while they also reinforce a hierarchical ranking of racial desirability anchored by anti-Blackness.

‘Complicating my place:’ multiracial women faculty navigating monocentricity in higher education––a polyethnography

ABSTRACT This polyethnography is an interdisciplinary collaboration between four multiracial women faculty employed at different universities across the US to examine their experiences navigating monocentricity in higher education. This insightful study amplifies the voices of a particular subset of women of color faculty who identify multiracially – a group overlooked in existing literature examining diverse faculty experiences in higher education. Utilizing Multiracial Critical Race Theory (MultiCrit), we reflex on the similarities and nuances that exist within and between our written stories of experience. Conjointly, our critical reflections reveal the prevalence of monoracism within institutions of higher education, which places both internal and external pressures on multiracial women faculty to demarcate themselves monoracially, while simultaneously maintaining a clandestine borderland identity within their departments. Implications for this study reveal the importance of multiracial counterspaces for multiracial faculty as a form of resistance against monocentricity in US institutions of higher education.

Racial and ethnic differences in the association between parent-oriented perfectionism and disordered eating in college women.

This study examined the associations between parent-oriented dimensions of perfectionism (parental expectations [PE] and parental criticism [PC]) and eating disorder (ED) symptomatology across racial/ethnic groups. It was hypothesized that parent-oriented perfectionism would be positively associated with ED symptomatology for White and Asian American women. Undergraduate women (N = 1,173) completed questionnaires assessing perfectionism, EDs, and demographics. One-way analyses of variance tested differences in PE and PC across racial/ethnic groups; post-hoc Tukey tests probed significant differences. Multiple linear regressions assessed associations between parent-oriented perfectionism and ED symptomatology. Hurdle models tested the association between PE and PC and the frequency and odds of endorsing ED symptomatology. There were significant group differences in PE and PC. PE was positively linked with various ED symptoms in Latina, Asian American, and multiracial women, and was negatively related to purging in multiracial women. PC was positively associated with body dissatisfaction in White, Black, and multiracial women, but displayed differential associations with ED symptomatology in all racial/ethnic groups. Levels of parent-oriented dimensions of perfectionism, and their relations to ED symptomatology, might vary across racial/ethnic groups. PE, in particular, is both more elevated, and more strongly linked to eating pathology in Asian American women, whereas PC appears to be especially relevant to ED symptoms in Black women. Findings underscore the importance of considering the role of culture in ED symptomatology. Clinicians and researchers might consider incorporating assessments of parent-oriented perfectionism into their practice.

Patterns and correlates of racial/ethnic disparities in posttraumatic stress disorder screening among recently separated veterans

BackgroundDespite the high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military veterans, there is a lack of knowledge about racial/ethnic differences. The current study describes patterns and correlates of PTSD screening across race/ethnicity and gender in a sample of 9420 veterans recently separated from the military. Veterans who identified as White (n = 6222), Hispanic/Latinx (n = 1313), Black (n = 1027), Asian/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (n = 420) and multiracial (n = 438) were included. MethodTrauma exposure and PTSD were assessed with the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5. Contextual factors examined included the intensity of ongoing stressful events, perceived social support, and sociodemographic variables (e.g., income). Weighted analyses were conducted to account for differential sample response rates. Regression analyses examining correlates of racial/ethnic differences in PTSD screening were stratified by gender. ResultsAmong men and women, positive PTSD screening rates were significantly elevated among Black, multiracial, and Hispanic/Latinx veterans compared with White veterans. Sociodemographics, trauma exposure, stress and social support accounted for elevated positive screening rates among all racial/ethnic groups except Black men and multiracial women. ConclusionsFindings suggest that Black, Hispanic/Latinx and multiracial veterans may be at higher risk for PTSD shortly following separation from the military. Contextual factors examined explain the excess risk among some, but not all, subgroups. Further specifying disparities in PTSD diagnostic rates and risk factors will enable targeted and tailored intervention among veteran subgroups.

Race-Ethnicity, Union Status, and Change in Body Mass Index in Young Adulthood.

This study used data from three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) and fixed-effects regression to consider whether associations between change in union status and change in BMI were moderated by race/ethnicity. The results indicated that intimate unions were differentially associated with gains in BMI along race/ethnic lines, especially for women. Compared to White women, marriage was associated with larger increases in BMI for Black, Hispanic and Multiracial women, and cohabitation was associated with larger increases for Black and Hispanic women. In contrast, both marriage and cohabitation were associated with less weight gain for Asian compared to White women. Among men, racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between union status and BMI were similarly patterned but less pronounced. The results suggest that, particularly for women, marital status-already its own source of stratification, further exacerbates racial/ethnic disparities in BMI from adolescence to young adulthood.