Perceived Discrimination Stress Research Articles

Examining the role of perceived discrimination stress, disaster communication, and community resilience perceptions in Hurricane Harvey stress reactions among Latinos in Texas

The current study examines (a) how the experience of perceived discrimination stress can exacerbate posttraumatic stress (PTS) reactions following a disaster, and (b) how individual disaster communication and community resilience perceptions can mediate PTS following the same event. We surveyed 397 Latino residents who lived in Texas counties impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Using PROCESS (Hayes, 2018) [1] , results revealed that individuals who experienced more perceived discrimination stress in their daily lives reported more PTS symptoms as hurricane exposure increased when compared to individuals who experienced lower levels of perceived discrimination stress. Additionally, individual disaster communication indirectly reduced PTS symptoms through community resilience perceptions. The results suggest disaster public health models should incorporate multi-phase communicative efforts to address perceived discrimination stress and foster community resilience perceptions.

Abstract 001: Perceived Discrimination Is Associated With Abnormal Left Ventricular Structure And Function: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos: ECHO-SOL Ancillary Study

Introduction: Perceived discrimination stress and acculturation are associated with CVD, but their association with cardiac structure and function have not been well studied. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that increased discrimination would be associated with abnormal LV structure and function and that low acculturation positively moderates this association after adjusting for CVD risk factors. Methods: ECHO-SOL enrolled Hispanics/Latinos, aged 45-74, living in the Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego. Echocardiographic measurements included: LV Mass Index (LVMI), LV geometry, left atrial volume index (LAVI), LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), and LVEF. Discrimination scales from the Brief PEDQ-CV included: total discrimination, exclusion/rejection, stigmatization/devaluation, discrimination at work/school, and threat/aggression. Spanish-language preference, foreign-born and shorter length of U.S. residence defined low acculturation. Linear regression, using sampling weights, assessed the association of outcomes with discrimination measures, adjusting for CVD risk factors, followed by stratification by acculturation level. Results: Participants (n=1818) were largely Spanish-speaking (86%), foreign-born (92%), with 49% living in the U.S. >20 years. Mean age was 56.4 years (SE = 0.37). Fifty percent had hypertension, 28% had diabetes, and 44% were obese. Mean total discrimination was 24.8 (SE = 0.4). LVDD was 52% and abnormal LV geometry was 45%. In unadjusted analysis, stigmatization/devaluation was associated with higher LVMI (β = 0.88; p = 0.003) and LAVI (β = 0.26; p = 0.003). Discrimination at work/school was associated with higher LVEF (β = 0.197; p = 0.007). In adjusted analysis, stigmatization/devaluation continued to predict higher LAVI (β = 0.30; p = 0.0009) but not LVMI. Discrimination at work/school continued to predict increasing LVEF (β = 0.22; p = 0.001). Total discrimination became significant for increased LVEF (β = 0.06; p = 0.006). In adjusted analyses stratified by acculturation, stigmatization/devaluation predicted higher LAVI among Spanish language preference (β = 0.30; p = 0.004) and foreign-born individuals (β = 0.32; p = 0.0016). Work/school discrimination (β = 0.20; p = 0.006) predicted increasing LVEF in foreign-born individuals. Total discrimination predicted increased LVEF among Spanish language preference (β = 0.073; p = 0.008) and foreign-born individuals (β = 0.07; p = 0.007). Stigma/devaluation was associated with higher LVMI among Spanish language preference (β = 0.97; p = 0.004) and foreign-born individuals (β = 1.09; p = 0.0005) in unadjusted but not adjusted models. Conclusions: In conclusion, stigma/devaluation predicted higher LVMI and LAVI in unadjusted analyses but only higher LAVI when adjusted. Total and work/school discrimination predicted higher LVEF. Low acculturation stratification resulted in similar findings.

Individual disaster communication in the Latinx community after Hurricane Harvey: The role of disaster exposure, perceived discrimination stress, and social trust

ABSTRACT This study examined how socio-cultural factors explain the relationship between hurricane exposure and frequency of individual disaster communication among Latinx individuals in Texas communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Participants included 397 Latinx residents in nine Texas counties that were most impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Through structural equation modeling, results indicated that perceived discrimination stress mediates the relationship between Hurricane Harvey exposure and individual disaster communication, whereas social distrust plays a disruptive role. Overall, the results (a) identify the individual and inter-related influence of stress and trust factors on the seeking and sharing of information within Latinx disaster communication ecologies, and (b) emphasize the importance of trust-building and storytelling strategies to engage the Latinx community following disasters.

Neural Processing and Perceived Discrimination Stress in African Americans.

Racial discrimination is one of many barriers experienced by African Americans that interfere with health self-care management. Discrimination stress may decrease the tendency for individuals to resonate with the social-emotional appeals embedded in persuasive health information, which are known to play a key role in producing behavior change. Understanding the neurobehavioral underpinnings of discrimination stress experienced by African Americans may help reduce or resolve this important health disparity. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the association between neural processing of health information and perceived discrimination. In particular, we focused on three previously identified measures of health information processing associated with distinct brain areas: analytic network, empathy network, and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex. Data were obtained from 24 African Americans enrolled in a blood pressure self-care management study. Participants completed surveys assessing racial discrimination and global stress, as well as a 40-minute functional magnetic resonance imaging protocol used to measure neural activation associated with processing different types of health information. Discrimination stress was significantly related to reduced activation of the empathy network and ventral medial prefrontal cortex, whereas there was a nonsignificant positive relationship with activity in the analytic network. Uncovering associations between patient experiences, such as racial discrimination, and their neural processing of health information can lead to the development of tailored health messages and self-care management interventions. This may inform strategies to close the gap on health outcomes.

Discrimination, psychosocial stress, and health among Latin American immigrants in Oregon.

Chronic psychosocial stress related to discrimination has been shown to be associated with biological measures such as elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), increased body fat, and higher fasting glucose levels. Few studies have examined these relationships in immigrant populations. The present study recruited a sample of 132 Oregon Latino immigrant adults to investigate the relationships between perceived discrimination and several health measures (blood pressure, body mass index [BMI], and fasting glucose). Results indicate that perceived discrimination stress predicted elevated SBP among men but not among women. Perceived discrimination was significantly higher among obese women than among women of normal BMI. The same pattern was not observed for men. Further, a strong trend relationship was detected: the higher women's reported discrimination stress, the higher their fasting glucose levels. Again, this pattern was not observed for men. These results suggest that chronic psychosocial stress plays an important role in disease risk among Latin American immigrants, and that male and female immigrants may have distinctive physiological responses. If confirmed, these findings may have important clinical and public health implications for chronic disease prevention among Latinos.