Dataset Information

Perceived racial discrimination and healthy behavior among African Americans.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Numerous studies have found evidence of a link between perceived discrimination and unhealthy behavior, especially substance use. Within this body of literature, however, several studies have found unexpected evidence of a positive relation between perceived racial discrimination among African Americans-mostly women-and certain types of healthy behavior, primarily exercise and healthy eating. The current study further examined this positive relation, including an anticipated moderator: optimism. It also examined the relation between perceived racial discrimination and a correlate of unhealthy behavior: BMI.

Method

Six waves of data were collected over 14 years in three related samples of African Americans from families participating in the Family and Community Health Study. Each family included an adolescent (Mage = 10.5 at Wave 1), the adolescent's primary caregiver (Mage = 37), and, in some cases, an older sibling of that adolescent (Mage = 13). Wave 1 Ns were 889, 889, and 295, respectively. Healthy behavior was defined as diet and exercise.

Results

There was very little evidence of a long-term relation between perceived racial discrimination and BMI in any sample, and no evidence of a relation between discrimination and healthy behavior among the males. However, correlational analyses revealed a positive prospective relation between discrimination and healthy behavior among all three groups of females; structural equation modeling indicated that this relation was stronger among women who were high in optimism.

Conclusions

Perceived racial discrimination does not appear to be related to BMI among African Americans, but it is related to healthy behavior among Black females who are high in dispositional optimism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

SUBMITTER: Gibbons FX

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8329932 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Background and aimsFrequent experiences of discrimination could increase vulnerability to tobacco withdrawal and smoking lapse in populations subject to tobacco-related health disparities. This laboratory study (2013-17) examined whether individual differences in perceived exposure to discrimination in one's daily life predicted tobacco withdrawal symptoms and smoking lapse behavior following acute tobacco deprivation in African American smokers.DesignMixed design with the between-subjects continuous variable of perceived discrimination crossed with the within-subject variable of tobacco deprivation status (deprived versus non-deprived).SettingAcademic medical center in Los Angeles, CA, USA.ParticipantsAfrican American non-treatment seeking daily cigarette smokers (n = 607, ≥ 10 cig/day).MeasurementsAt a baseline visit, self-reported frequency of perceived exposure to discrimination in one's daily life was measured [everyday discrimination scale (EDDS)]. At two subsequent counterbalanced experimental visits (16-hour tobacco deprivation versus ad-libitum smoking), self-report assessments of various tobacco withdrawal symptom domains [Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urges), Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale (WSWS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and Current Impulsivity Scale (CIS)) and a behavioral smoking lapse analogue task were measured.FindingsAdjusted models demonstrated that greater frequency of perceived exposure to discrimination was associated with larger deprivation-induced increases in acute urges to smoke to alleviate negative mood, several negative mood states and subjective cognitive functioning-effect sizes were small in magnitude (βs = 0.09-0.13; Ps < 0.02). Data were inconclusive for associations between perceived exposure to discrimination and deprivation-induced changes in cravings, urges to smoke for pleasure, positive mood reduction, other symptoms or smoking reinstatement behavior.ConclusionsFrequency of perceived exposure to discrimination appears to be modestly associated with increased severity of some deprivation-induced tobacco withdrawal symptoms in African American smokers.