Race-based Discrimination Contributes To African-A

[Cameo]

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061027183652.htm

Race-based Discrimination Contributes To African-American Health Disparities

Science Daily — The experience of racial discrimination may be a key factor in explaining why African Americans have higher rates of obesity and suffer at higher rates from such diseases as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders, according to UCLA researchers.

Repeated responses to such discrimination -- which include elevated blood pressure and heart rate -- can cause enormous stress on a person's mental and physical health, according to research scheduled to be published in Volume 58 of the Annual Review of Psychology.

Race-based discrimination may help explain why African Americans, despite gains in civil rights and targeted health programs, continue to have the highest rates of diabetes, cardiovascular heart disease, hypertension and stroke as compared to all other racial or ethnic groups in the United States.

"This is not to say that every African American has poor health," said Vickie Mays, the report's lead author, a UCLA professor of psychology and health services and director of the Center for Research, Education, Training and Strategic Communication on Minority Health Disparities. "However, African Americans -- as a group of people -- have not been able to gain as much ground as other ethnic groups. That's when you need to worry and look at missing factors that can explain these health disparities."

When a person experiences discrimination, the body develops a cognitive response in which it recognizes the discrimination as something that is bad and should be defended against, Mays said. She said this response occurs for the most part even if the person merely perceives that discrimination is a possibility.

Starting with the brain's recognition of discrimination, the body sets into motion a series of physiological responses to protect itself from these stressful negative experiences, Mays said. These physiological responses include biochemical reactions, hyper-vigilance and elevated blood pressure and heart rate. With many African Americans, these responses may occur so frequently that they eventually result in the physiological system not working correctly.

According to Mays, the experience of race-based discrimination for some African Americans is akin to the response a person's body mounts when it experiences significant life-threatening danger, such as fear for a person's life or of a possible attack. She said that if the body mounts a response to protect itself against a "life-threatening" experience on a regular basis, after awhile it is strained and overworked. Many of the chemicals that come to its rescue can damage systems in the body that are associated with disease and obesity.

According to the report's authors, there has been much focus on the emotional impact of discrimination. But other critical factors -- such as identifying how the brain recognizes and determines what racial discrimination is and how the body responds biochemically -- may help researchers understand why African Americans are not benefiting from protections against negative health outcomes in the same manner as whites.

Health disparities in African Americans may even be passed down from one generation to the next. For example, even middle- and upper-class African American women are at a higher risk of delivering pre-term babies as compared to other ethnic minority and white women of the same social class.

"What may be occurring is that despite having a great education and prenatal care, your body may be programmed to deliver early because of the stresses experienced by your mother during her pregnancy," Mays said. Research suggests that African American women produce a hormone activated in response to stress that is often associated as a time-clock for birth.

"This results in the placenta separating itself a little bit early and, that may be one of the reasons for a preterm delivery," Mays said.

Another key factor is that African Americans faced with constant discrimination may experience high levels of stress that cause an "allostatic load." The term refers to the cumulative wear and tear of stress as the body responds to an overload of challenges and demands.

When the stress challenge to the cardiovascular system is prolonged and excessive to the point of allostasis, the immune system is suppressed, blood pressure increases and, over time, atherosclerosis can develop, resulting in coronary vascular disease.

UCLA researchers will conduct further research on the link between race-based discrimination and health problems, including searching for possible solutions and coping methods for individuals.

"As we deal with skyrocketing rates of obesity and rising rates of diabetes in African Americans and other racial and ethnic minority groups, we need to think about the impact of race-based discrimination and how they respond to that stress," Mays said. "It may not be just a matter of telling a person to eat better or exercise. We may need to take a look at the person's environment and the race-based discrimination that that person is experiencing."

The report was co-authored by Susan D. Cochran, UCLA professor of epidemiology and statistics, and Namdi W. Barnes, a staff member of the Center for Research, Education, Training and Strategic Communication on Minority Health Disparities.

It was funded by the National Institute of Health's National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

More information about Mays' center is at www.MinorityHealthDisparities.org.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of California - Los Angeles.

[Cameo]

"Another key factor is that African Americans faced with constant discrimination may experience high levels of stress that cause an "allostatic load." The term refers to the cumulative wear and tear of stress as the body responds to an overload of challenges and demands.

When the stress challenge to the cardiovascular system is prolonged and excessive to the point of allostasis, the immune system is suppressed, blood pressure increases and, over time, atherosclerosis can develop, resulting in coronary vascular disease."

And people wonder why we die faster than white folk. This is a serious blow to those who think that the high rates of these ailments give credence to "biological evidence2 or race and racial differences when the true underlying cause is social at the root.

[whateva]

There's no doubt a stressfilled environment has a tremendous negative effect on health.

The question though remains what environmental factors are producing the stress. Rhoadie mentioned in a thread on HBD how she overheard a shoot out. Living in an environment like that would certainly create a lot of stress.

I seem to remember something about there being many afro-american single mothers. That would also contribute to stress.

[Cameo]

whateva said:

There's no doubt a stressfilled environment has a tremendous negative effect on health.

The question though remains what environmental factors are producing the stress. Rhoadie mentioned in a thread on HBD how she overheard a shoot out. Living in an environment like that would certainly create a lot of stress.

I seem to remember something about there being many afro-american single mothers. That would also contribute to stress.

I would imagine that living in an environment where you hear gunshots alot of the time would produce stress, no doubt, but stress like this with blacks happen even in non-violent environments, such as being the only black a work department or company. A black in that situation would feel alot of stress trying to assimilate and fit in to a work place like that because they're caught in between having to compromise who they are to fit in at work vs trying to keep their identity. Thats just as worse as living in a ghetto with gunshots.

[Anodyne]

rigaud said:

whateva said:

There's no doubt a stressfilled environment has a tremendous negative effect on health.

The question though remains what environmental factors are producing the stress. Rhoadie mentioned in a thread on HBD how she overheard a shoot out. Living in an environment like that would certainly create a lot of stress.

I seem to remember something about there being many afro-american single mothers. That would also contribute to stress.

I would imagine that living in an environment where you hear gunshots alot of the time would produce stress, no doubt, but stress like this with blacks happen even in non-violent environments, such as being the only black a work department or company. A black in that situation would feel alot of stress trying to assimilate and fit in to a work place like that because they're caught in between having to compromise who they are to fit in at work vs trying to keep their identity. Thats just as worse as living in a ghetto with gunshots.

Their identity? It's friggin' work, not a social club. People should be too busy to worry about their "identity." The only thing I talk to my co- workers about is related to work. I don't care about their "identity," regardless of their background, because it's not relevant to what has to be done.

[Cameo]

ayndostoy said:

rigaud said:

I would imagine that living in an environment where you hear gunshots alot of the time would produce stress, no doubt, but stress like this with blacks happen even in non-violent environments, such as being the only black a work department or company. A black in that situation would feel alot of stress trying to assimilate and fit in to a work place like that because they're caught in between having to compromise who they are to fit in at work vs trying to keep their identity. Thats just as worse as living in a ghetto with gunshots.

Their identity? It's friggin' work, not a social club. People should be too busy to worry about their "identity." The only thing I talk to my co- workers about is related to work. I don't care about their "identity," regardless of their background, because it's not relevant to what has to be done.

I can tell full well you don't understand how stress plays a part in all of this. You can call it work all you like, but in a perfect world only would your comments make sense. The fact remains that stress at work does cause physical and mentally health problems, saying that work is work and not a club just doesn't cut it. In the situation I brougt up for example, the lone black person is coping with having to compromise who they are to fit in, but on the other side no one is trying to get to know him/her and who he/she is, so its one sided and believe it or not, most all white or majority white wokplaces expect blacks asimilate and fit in under *WHITE* norms. Thats causes stres for the person. I hope you understand better now.

If everyone took your approach that wok is work and not a club, you would have some of these employees going on rampages shooting people and legal conflicts and or bringing home work related stress to their families and personal lives. In short, your approach isn't indicative of reality.

[Anodyne]

rigaud said:

ayndostoy said:

Their identity? It's friggin' work, not a social club. People should be too busy to worry about their "identity." The only thing I talk to my co- workers about is related to work. I don't care about their "identity," regardless of their background, because it's not relevant to what has to be done.

I can tell full well you don't understand how stress plays a part in all of this. You can call it work all you like, but in a perfect world only would your comments make sense. The fact remains that stress at work does cause physical and mentally health problems, saying that work is work and not a club just doesn't cut it.

I never claimed that stress doesn't affect your physical and mental health. What I did question is this nonsense about how blacks must "compromise" their "identity."

In the situation I brougt up for example, the lone black person is coping with having to compromise who they are to fit in, but on the other side no one is trying to get to know him/her and who he/she is, so its one sided and believe it or not, most all white or majority white wokplaces expect blacks asimilate and fit in under *WHITE* norms. Thats causes stres for the person. I hope you understand better now.

You're making assumptions, based on what? Your own personal experience? Or perhaps the experience of others? You're making a generalization based on what, exactly?

White norms? No, I don't understand. Define what "white norms" means, please.

What do you mean by assimilate? Assimilate to what, exactly?

I'm just some ignorant white guy, please be specific with how you use these terms.

Why do you assume that no one wants to get to know him?

If everyone took your approach that wok is work and not a club, you would have some of these employees going on rampages shooting people and legal conflicts and or bringing home work related stress to their families and personal lives.

Why would they go on a rampage, or those other things you mention, if they deal with work related issues at work? People bring their problems home with them when issues aren't resolved at work.

In short, your approach isn't indicative of reality.

My approach works for me. People tend to like me at the jobs I've had. Often I've been promoted faster than most people. One of the reasons is I'm polite to everyone, and don't get muddled in the politics. Occasionally I'll complain about how things are done, but I don't direct it at anyone specific. Since I don't talk badly of people to others they assume I don't talk badly of them. It's the best approach.

I'm not convinced by your claims. Perhaps if you're more detailed I will be, but I doubt it, since I've heard it all before, but I want to see yoru angle.

[Cameo]

ayndostoy said:

I never claimed that stress doesn't affect your physical and mental health. What I did question is this nonsense about how blacks must "compromise" their "identity."

It isn't nonsense, its reality, but you wouldn't know because you're not black and haven't been placed in that situation, but for alot of blacks in an environment that it is a reality. You stay in an incredible amount of denial.

You're making assumptions, based on what? Your own personal experience? Or perhaps the experience of others? You're making a generalization based on what, exactly?

I didn't generalize about anything as you can see from my comment above, but the bottom line is that situations like this do cause stress and they are a reality for African-Americans in the workplace, your denial of it is a generalization in itself.

White norms? No, I don't understand. Define what "white norms" means, please.

This is what I'm talking about with regards to identity and whit "norms and culture" in the workplace:


"In order to have real integration rather than one-way assimilation, African Americans and other people of color must be given the same opportunity as whites to change the contours of the workplace by their presence in it - hence requiring two-way (or more) assimilation. At the very least, they must not be required to become "whitewashed" and thus to give up significant parts of their identity in order to be accepted as coworkers, employees, and supervisors. Recent cases involving language issues for Latinos illustrate that these Americans of color are willing to make some concessions to be integrated into workplaces, but not to give up their language-a critical carrier of their culture-just because whites arbitrarily insist that they do so. The parallel question is how much should African Americans have to give up in order to assimilate to historically white workplaces and other institutional settings? Clearly, they are willing to make concessions, but not to suffer nearly as much as they must under current circumstances."

academic.udayton.edu/race/01race/AfrAm02a.htm

[Anodyne]

rigaud said:

ayndostoy said:

It isn't nonsense, its reality, but you wouldn't know because you're not black and haven't been placed in that situation, but for alot of blacks in an environment that it is a reality. You stay in an incredible amount of denial.

Not an argument. Ad hominem!!

I didn't generalize about anything as you can see from my comment above, but the bottom line is that situations like this do cause stress and they are a reality for African-Americans in the workplace, your denial of it is a generalization in itself.

You haven't considered any other variables, as usual. The assumption is that fault lies with the white workers if they don't greet their black co- worker at the door like they've known him all their life. Why should I go out of my way to make someone comfortable? If he's cool then I'll chit chat with that person. If we have nothing in common, then why should I be overly friendly. Outside of being polite, there is no obligation to do anything for anyone at work.

White norms? No, I don't understand. Define what "white norms" means, please.

This is what I'm talking about with regards to identity and whit "norms and culture" in the workplace:

Oh, this should be interesting.

"In order to have real integration rather than one-way assimilation, African Americans and other people of color must be given the same opportunity as whites to change the contours of the workplace by their presence in it - hence requiring two-way (or more) assimilation. At the very least, they must not be required to become "whitewashed" and thus to give up significant parts of their identity in order to be accepted as coworkers, employees, and supervisors.

Assimilate to what? Waht should co- workers assimilate to? Still vague. I want specifics.

Recent cases involving language issues for Latinos illustrate that these Americans of color are willing to make some concessions to be integrated into workplaces, but not to give up their language-a critical carrier of their culture-just because whites arbitrarily insist that they do so.

What concessions should be made to black workers? Vague. I don't understand the analogy to Latinos. They actually have their own language. If it's related to eboncis, then, well, at one place I worked at blacks spoke slang to each other without a problem. With customers, of course, they weren't allowed, but that's because being proper reflects on the company.

The parallel question is how much should African Americans have to give up in order to assimilate to historically white workplaces and other institutional settings? Clearly, they are willing to make concessions, but not to suffer nearly as much as they must under current circumstances."

Give up what? Vague. I want specifics.

[Cameo]

Dude you're being imposible by asking for specifics as if everything should be laid down in stone for you to see. It takes careful thinking and observation to see what goes on and I'm not talking about whites not greeting blacks at work like its their home. Unless you're a black person in that situation you're going to understand that its the subtle racism and predjudices, not the overt stuff, that causes the mnost problems in workplaces.

[Anodyne]

rigaud said:

Dude you#re being imposible by asking for specifics as if everything should be laid down in stone for you to see. It takes careful thinking and observation to see what goes on and I'm not talking about whites not greeting blacks at work like its their home. Unless you're a black person in that situation you're going to understand that its the subtle racism and predjudices, not the overt stuff, that causes the mnost problems in workplaces.

You, and your source, are very vague. Words like "identity" and "assimilation" are mentioned, but no explanation is given of what they entail in a work environment in relation to blacks. You seem to avoid that point in my thread by mentioning your own paranoia.

[Cameo]

ayndostoy said:

rigaud said:

Dude you're being imposible by asking for specifics as if everything should be laid down in stone for you to see. It takes careful thinking and observation to see what goes on and I'm not talking about whites not greeting blacks at work like its their home. Unless you're a black person in that situation you're going to understand that its the subtle racism and predjudices, not the overt stuff, that causes the mnost problems in workplaces.

You, and your source, are very vague. Words like "identity" and "assimilation" are mentioned, but no explanation is given of what they entail in a work environment in relation to blacks. You seem to avoid that point in my thread by mentioning your own paranoia.

I fully understand whats being said in the quote I posted because I am black and I've been in that situation, you are in no position to judge. Look up the words "assimilation" and "identity" and apply it to the scenario I brought up instead of pretending not to know what I'm speaking about. the quote I posted even gave one example of it when it mentioned Latinos and the Spanish language in the workplace.

[menk]

I'm not sure of the obesity factor (or the effect of simple diet on this and other things) but I'd certainly buy that Afram health, especially that of men, is negatively affected by real or percieved racism.

And feeling conspicuously different in a workplace can certainly affect with one's mental state and ability to work.

Though I'm not sure what you mean by a need to compromise oneself -- in what sense does a black person, even in an all white (but neutral, or friendly) work environment have to give up their 'blackness?' Is that perhaps more of a class issue (i.e. not using street talk/ebonics, ect.)?