neuroscience senior thesis
TRANSCRIPT
Racial Discrimination, Racial Racial Discrimination, Racial Identity, and Stress Reactivity in Identity, and Stress Reactivity in
African AmericansAfrican AmericansFatima Traore
Weekes/Lewis LabPomona College
Health Disparities in African Health Disparities in African American Population (1)American Population (1)
Largest health disparities among all minorities (1).
Most afflicted by hypertension
Suffer 1.1 million more deaths annually relative to the whites (2)
Mortality is comparable to that of Whites thirty years ago
Not fully accounted for by SES and Education Attainment
The Role of Perceived Discrimination StressThe Role of Perceived Discrimination Stress
Stress is a risk factor for many health-related illnesses
Chronic exposure to racial stressors physiological dysfunction increased susceptibility to a large range of diseases
In fact, PD is sufficient to sustain high stress levels, to increase reactivity, and the likelihood of hypertension in AA population (1)
Physiological Pathways Involved in Stress ResponsePhysiological Pathways Involved in Stress Response
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocorticol (HPA) axis
Sympathetic Nervous system (SNS)
Release Cortisol
SLOW response
Linked to chronic disease
Poorly Investigated in AA
Release Norepinephrine
FAST response
Linked to Hypertension
Strong literature in AAs
Racial Identity Racial Identity
is the extent to which one’s person feels that he/she belongs to a racial community (1)
conflicting results on its effects on cardiovascular activity
effects on cortisol reactivity have been poorly investigated
PurposePurpose
Investigate the extent to which perceived racism predict changes in cardiovascular and cortisol reactivity following an acute racial stressor
Examine the role of racial identity in these relationships
PredictionsPredictions
Increased cardiovascular and cortisol responses to an acute racial stressor
Racial identity as a moderator of these relationships
MethodsMethods
23 college AA females
Inventories for perceived racism, State- anxiety, and racial identity
Modified Trier Social Stress Test (TSST)
6 Salivary samples (cortisol)
BP readings
Trier Social Stress TestTrier Social Stress Test
Classic Version Racial Version Evaluative panel
Arithmetic task : 1022 by 13
Mock interview -- 5 min speech
Salivary, BP, and psychological measures
White evaluative panel
Reading about affirmative action + 5 min speech
Mock interview-- 5min speech (never hired AA)
Salivary, BP, and psychological measures
Confirmatory Analyses Effectiveness of stress manipulation
(Modified TSST)
Correlation between perceived racism and racial identity
Racial Stressor was effective in Racial Stressor was effective in CV and Psych reactivityCV and Psych reactivity
Racial Stressor was NOT Racial Stressor was NOT effective in cortisol reactivityeffective in cortisol reactivity
Test of Major Predictions: Test of Major Predictions: Correlation Dependent on Racial Correlation Dependent on Racial
IdentityIdentity
ConclusionConclusion
Racial identity may act as a buffer by reducing the negative effects of perceived discrimination stress on cardiovascular reactivity
More specifically, one’s connection with its community can arm him/her with better copings strategies and social support to handle stress
Implications for health disparities between AA and Whites