Racial/ethnic discrimination and common mental disorders among workers: findings from the EMPIRIC Study of Ethnic Minority Groups in the United Kingdom.
OBJECTIVE
We measured perceived discrimination and its association with common mental disorders among workers in the United Kingdom.


METHODS
We conducted a secondary analysis of a national sample of 6 ethnic groups (n=2054). Discrimination was measured as reports of insults; unfair treatment at work; or job denial stemming from race, religion, or language. The outcome assessed was presence of common mental disorders.


RESULTS
The risk of mental disorders was highest among ethnic minority individuals reporting unfair treatment (odds ratio [OR]=2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.2, 3.2) and racial insults (OR=2.3; 95% CI=1.4, 3.6). The overall greatest risks were observed among Black Caribbeans exposed to unfair treatment at work (OR=2.9; 95% CI=1.2, 7.3) and Indian (OR=3.1; 95% CI=1.4, 7.2), Bangladeshi (OR=32.9; 95% CI=2.5, 436.0), and Irish (OR=2.9; 95% CI=1.1, 7.6) individuals reporting insults.


CONCLUSIONS
Racial/ethnic discrimination shows strong associations with common mental disorders.
Bhui
Kamaldeep
K
Centre for Psychiatry, Barts, and London School of Medicine, Queen Mary, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom. k.s.bhui@qmul.ac.uk
Stansfeld
Stephen
S
McKenzie
Kwame
K
Karlsen
Saffron
S
Nazroo
James
J
Weich
Scott
S
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007494:Ireland / Q000208:ethnology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009017:Morbidity; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011287:Prejudice; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology
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