Study Shows Association Between An Internet-Based Measure of White Racist Areas of the U.S. And Black Mortality – Published by plos.org, BC Guest Commentator

A study published by plos.org says a growing body of evidence indicates that the unique constellation of environmental stressors and psychosocial challenges experienced by Blacks in the US contributes to accelerated declines in health and generates racial disparities. Of these stressors, there has been increasing attention to the impact of racism-related factors, including interpersonal experiences of racial discrimination. Racially motivated experiences of discrimination impact health via diminished socioeconomic attainment and by enforcing patterns in racial residential segregation, geographically isolating large segments of the Black population into worse neighborhood conditions. These areas are typically characterized by social anathemas such as poverty and crime, and fewer health-promoting resources, including recreational facilities, parks, supermarkets, and quality healthcare. Such characteristics shape health behaviors such as exercise, diet, and substance use. Racial discrimination in employment can also lead to lower income and greater financial strain, which in turn have been linked to worse mental and physical health outcomes.

In addition to these indirect socioeconomic and neighborhood effects, racial discrimination may also directly impact health by engaging psychobiological mechanisms induced in the stress response. Experiences of racially-motivated discrimination are inherently stressful, and may undermine psychological adjustment particularly when viewed as being outside of personal control, resulting in depression, anxiety, and anger. These negative affective and cognitive responses are associated with maladaptive health behaviors and greater risk of chronic disease. Racial discrimination can also affect health by eliciting a cascade of biochemical reactions that over time can damage biological systems. As a source of psychosocial stress, racial discrimination may lead to premature physiologic deterioration or “wear and tear,” ultimately compromising the ability of the body to respond to such challenges and increasing susceptibility to and acceleration of chronic diseases. Research on discrimination has found that it is related to a range of biological markers of stress, including measures of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Area racism was the proportion of Google searches containing the “N-word” in 196 designated market areas (DMAs). Negative binomial regression models were specified taking into account individual age, sex, year of death, and Census region and adjusted to the 2000 US standard population to examine the association between area racism and Black mortality rates, which were derived from death certificates and mid-year population counts collated by the National Center for Health Statistics (2004–2009).

Area racism (shown in the map below) remained significantly associated with the all-cause Black mortality rate. Models examining cause-specific Black mortality rates revealed significant associations with heart disease, cancer, and stroke. These findings are congruent with studies documenting the deleterious impact of racism on health among Blacks. The study contributes to evidence that racism shapes patterns in mortality and generates racial disparities in health.

View and download the full report in PDF format

View the full report at plos.org