Discrimination Linked To Poor Health Outcomes in African-Americans

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Experiences of everyday discrimination may be linked to poor health among African-Americans, according to a study published by researchers at Yale University School of Medicine.

In a study of 296 African-American adults, Tene Lewis PhD., Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, and colleagues found that self-reported experiences of discrimination were associated with higher levels of certain protein that has been linked to cardiovascular disease and other health outcomes.

More significant was that the association remained significant even after adjustments for depressive symptoms, smoking, and chronic health conditions were taken into consideration.

While the link between discrimination and poor health outcomes was observed, the authors noted that the association was not completely independent of body mass index (BMI).

The findings of this study were published in the March 2010 issue of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.