Racial Differences in Physical and Mental Health: Socio-economic Status, Stress and Discrimination

Racial Differences in Physical and Mental Health: Socio-economic Status, Stress and Discrimination

1997 | DAVID R. WILLIAMS, YAN YU, & JAMES S. JACKSON, NORMAN B. ANDERSON
This article examines the extent to which racial differences in socio-economic status (SES), social class, perceived discrimination, and stress can account for black-white disparities in physical and mental health. The study uses data from the 1995 Detroit Area Study (DAS) to analyze the relationship between these factors and health outcomes. Key findings include: 1. **Socio-Economic Status (SES)**: Blacks have significantly lower levels of education, income, and social class compared to whites, which are major predictors of health outcomes. 2. **Perceived Discrimination**: Blacks report higher levels of major and everyday discrimination, which are positively associated with poor health outcomes. 3. **Stress**: General measures of stress, including chronic stress, financial stress, and life events, are generally adverse to health and contribute to racial differences in health. 4. **Health Outcomes**: Blacks report higher levels of self-reported ill health, bed-days, and psychological distress compared to whites. However, these differences are significantly reduced when adjusted for SES and stress. 5. **Race-Related Stress**: Race-related stressors, such as everyday discrimination, have a small but significant incremental effect on explaining racial differences in health outcomes. 6. **Differential Vulnerability**: Race-related stress may have a more adverse impact on the mental health of whites compared to blacks. The study highlights the importance of considering both SES and non-SES forms of discrimination in understanding racial health disparities. It also underscores the need for more comprehensive measures of SES and stress, as well as further research on the mechanisms by which these factors affect health.This article examines the extent to which racial differences in socio-economic status (SES), social class, perceived discrimination, and stress can account for black-white disparities in physical and mental health. The study uses data from the 1995 Detroit Area Study (DAS) to analyze the relationship between these factors and health outcomes. Key findings include: 1. **Socio-Economic Status (SES)**: Blacks have significantly lower levels of education, income, and social class compared to whites, which are major predictors of health outcomes. 2. **Perceived Discrimination**: Blacks report higher levels of major and everyday discrimination, which are positively associated with poor health outcomes. 3. **Stress**: General measures of stress, including chronic stress, financial stress, and life events, are generally adverse to health and contribute to racial differences in health. 4. **Health Outcomes**: Blacks report higher levels of self-reported ill health, bed-days, and psychological distress compared to whites. However, these differences are significantly reduced when adjusted for SES and stress. 5. **Race-Related Stress**: Race-related stressors, such as everyday discrimination, have a small but significant incremental effect on explaining racial differences in health outcomes. 6. **Differential Vulnerability**: Race-related stress may have a more adverse impact on the mental health of whites compared to blacks. The study highlights the importance of considering both SES and non-SES forms of discrimination in understanding racial health disparities. It also underscores the need for more comprehensive measures of SES and stress, as well as further research on the mechanisms by which these factors affect health.
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