What do we measure when we measure perceptions of everyday discrimination?

Everyday discrimination and satisfaction with nature experiences

Introduction

There is growing interest in creating public green spaces to promote health. Yet, discussions about these efforts often overlook how experiences of chronic discrimination-which may manifest as racism, sexism, or homophobia, and more-could undermine satisfaction with nature experiences.

Methods

Using data from the 2018 wave of the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) General Social Survey (GSS), we quantified associations of frequency of everyday discrimination, operationalized using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS, the primary independent variable), with respondents' perceptions of nature experiences and with their reported time spent in nature. Specifically, we quantified associations with the following three variables: (1) dissatisfaction with day-to-day experiences of nature, (2) not spending as much time as they would like in natural environments, and (3) usually spending at least one day per week in nature. We used survey-weighted robust Poisson models to estimate overall associations, and also stratified analyses by racial/ethnic and gender identity categories.

Results

Of 768 GSS respondents, 14% reported dissatisfaction with nature experiences, 36% reported not spending as much time as they would like in nature, and 33% reported that they did not spend at least one day per week in nature. The median non-standardized EDS, coded such that a higher value indicates greater frequency of discrimination, was 11 (interquartile range: 8, 15). Prevalence of reporting dissatisfaction with day-to-day experiences in nature was 7% higher in association with every one unit increase in EDS score above the median (PR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.11). The prevalence of reporting not spending as much time as one would like in nature was 2% higher for every unit increase in higher than median everyday discrimination frequency (PR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.05). Higher than median frequency in everyday discrimination was not associated with spending less than one day per week in nature. Race/ethnicity and gender identity did not modify associations.

Conclusion

Greater frequency of everyday discrimination is associated with less satisfaction with experiences in nature. This relationship could undermine efforts to promote health equity through green interventions.

Discrimination and Adverse Perinatal Health Outcomes: A Latent Class Analysis

INTRODUCTION

An intersectionality framework recognizes individuals as simultaneously inhabiting multiple intersecting social identities embedded within systems of disadvantage and privilege. Previous research links perceived discrimination with worsened health outcomes yet is limited by a focus on racial discrimination in isolation. We applied an intersectional approach to the study of discrimination to examine the association with adverse perinatal health outcomes.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a cohort of 2,286 pregnant participants (Black, n = 933; Hispanic, n = 471; White, n = 853; and Other, n = 29) from the Centering and Racial Disparities trial. Perceived discrimination was assessed via the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) and perinatal health outcomes collected via electronic medical record review. Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups of discrimination based on EDS item response and the rate of adverse perinatal health outcomes compared between subgroups using a Bolck, Croon and Hagenaars 3-step approach.

RESULTS

Four discrimination subgroups were identified: no discrimination, general discrimination, discrimination attributed to one or several social identities, and discrimination attributed to most or all social identities. Experiencing general discrimination was associated with postpartum depression symptoms when compared with experiencing no discrimination among Black (9% vs 5%, P = .04) and White participants (18% vs 9%, P = .01). White participants experiencing general discrimination gave birth to low birthweight infants at a higher rate than those experiencing no discrimination (11% vs 6%, P = .04). No significant subgroup differences were observed among Hispanic participants.

CONCLUSION

Perceived discrimination may play an influential role in shaping perinatal health. More research applying an intersectional lens to the study of discrimination and perinatal health outcomes is needed.

Gendered Racial Microaggressions and Black Women's Sleep Health

Gendered racial microaggressions reflect historical and contemporary gendered racism that Black women encounter. Although gendered racial microaggressions are related to psychological outcomes, it is unclear if such experiences are related to sleep health. Moreover, the health effects of gendered racial microaggressions dimensions are rarely investigated. Using a cohort of Black women (N = 400), this study employs an intracategorical intersectional approach to (1) investigate the association between gendered racial microaggressions and sleep health, (2) assess whether gendered racial microaggressions dimensions are related to sleep health, and (3) examine whether the gendered racial microaggressions-sleep health association persists after accounting for depressive symptoms and worry. Gendered racial microaggressions were associated with poor sleep quality overall and four specific domains: subjective sleep quality, latency, disturbance, and daytime sleepiness. Two gendered racial microaggressions dimensions were especially detrimental for sleep: assumptions of beauty/sexual objectification and feeling silenced and marginalized. After accounting for mental health, the effect of gendered racial microaggressions on sleep was reduced by 47 percent. Future research implications are discussed.

Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms: What role does the cognitive triad play?

OBJECTIVE

The present study was designed to integrate perceived everyday discrimination (PED) as stressor in Beck's cognitive theory of depression. We focused on the relationships between PED, the individual components of the cognitive triad, and depressive symptoms and the role of gender and race in these relationships.

METHOD

Participants included 243 technical and community college students (women: 59%; men: 41%; Black: 30%; White: 51%). They completed measures examined PED, the cognitive triad, and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Conducting mediation analyses using PROCESS 4.1.1, we found significant indirect effects from PED on depressive symptoms through negative views of the self and world. The indirect effect through negative views of the future was not significant. The indirect effects of negative views of the world and future were significantly stronger in women participants than men participants and the indirect effect of negative views of the world was significantly stronger in White students than Black students.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings generally support the integration of PED as stressor into Beck's cognitive theory independent of gender and race. This highlights the responsibility of therapists to assist clients in coping with PED and to advocate for equality within organizations, communities, and society in general.

Prevalence and characteristics of anti-Indigenous bias among Albertan physicians: a cross-sectional survey and framework analysis

OBJECTIVE

Recent deaths of Indigenous patients in the Canadian healthcare system have been attributed to structural and interpersonal racism. Experiences of interpersonal racism by Indigenous physicians and patients have been well characterised, but the source of this interpersonal bias has not been as well studied. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of explicit and implicit interpersonal anti-Indigenous biases among Albertan physicians.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This cross-sectional survey measuring demographic information and explicit and implicit anti-Indigenous biases was distributed in September 2020 to all practising physicians in Alberta, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

375 practising physicians with an active medical licence.

OUTCOMES

Explicit anti-Indigenous bias, measured by two feeling thermometer methods: participants slid an indicator on a thermometer to indicate their preference for white people (full preference is scored 100) or Indigenous people (full preference, 0), and then participants indicated how favourably they felt toward Indigenous people (100, maximally favourable; 0, maximally unfavourable). Implicit bias was measured using an Indigenous-European implicit association test (negative scores suggest preference for European (white) faces). Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare bias across physician demographics, including intersectional identities of race and gender identity.

MAIN RESULTS

Most of the 375 participants were white cisgender women (40.3%; n=151). The median age of participants was 46-50 years. 8.3% of participants felt unfavourably toward Indigenous people (n=32 of 375) and 25.0% preferred white people to Indigenous people (n=32 of 128). Median scores did not differ by gender identity, race or intersectional identities. White cisgender men physicians had the greatest implicit preferences compared with other groups (-0.59 (IQR -0.86 to -0.25); n=53; p<0.001). Free-text responses discussed 'reverse racism' and expressed discomfort with survey questions addressing bias and racism.

CONCLUSIONS

Explicit anti-Indigenous bias was present among Albertan physicians. Concerns about 'reverse racism' targeting white people and discomfort discussing racism may act as barriers to addressing these biases. About two-thirds of respondents had implicit anti-Indigenous bias. These results corroborate the validity of patient reports of anti-Indigenous bias in healthcare and emphasise the need for effective intervention.