Effects of racial discrimination and health behaviors on mental and physical health of middle-class African American men.
This research is an examination of the effects of racial discrimination and health-promoting behaviors on the physical and mental health of a sample of 399 well-educated African American men. One would think that the attainment of higher education would increase health-promoting behaviors and might decrease discriminatory experiences that impact health. However, regression analysis indicated a more complex picture. Health-promoting behaviors were positively related to mental health, whereas experiences of racial discrimination contributed to poorer mental health. Relationships between health-promoting behaviors and that of racial discrimination to physical health were found to be nonsignificant. In conclusion, the authors discuss the importance of culturally appropriate health-promotion efforts.
Sellers
Sherrill L
SL
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. slsellers@wisc.edu
Bonham
Vence
V
Neighbors
Harold W
HW
Amell
James W
JW
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054521:Cultural Competency; D004522:Educational Status; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054526:Men's Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D008603:Mental Health; D011287:Prejudice; D011822:Race Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012923:Social Class