title: Workplace Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms: A Study of Multi-Ethnic Hospital Employees.
abstract: Workplace discrimination reports have recently increased in the U.S. Few studies have examined racial/ethnic differences and the mental health consequences of this exposure. We examined the association between self-reported workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms among a multi-ethnic sample of hospital employees. Data came from the prospective case-control Gradients of Occupational Health in Hospital Workers (GROW) study (N = 664). We used the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to assess depressive symptoms and measured the occurrence, types, and frequency of workplace discrimination. African Americans were more likely than other racial/ethnic employees to report frequent and multiple types of discrimination exposure. Multivariate relationships were examined while controlling for socio-demographic factors, job strain, and general social stressors. After adjustment, workplace discrimination occurrence and frequency were positively associated with depressive symptoms. The positive association between workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms was similar across racial and ethnic groups. Reducing workplace discrimination may improve psychosocial functioning among racial/ethnic minority hospital employees at greatest risk of exposure.
authors.affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 334B Rosenau Hall, CB #7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Wizdom Powell
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gillen
authors.forename: Irene H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Yen
references.citation: J Occup Health Psychol. 1998 Oct;3(4):322-55
references.pmid: 9805280
references.citation: J Psychosom Res. 2010 Aug;69(2):211-25
references.pmid: 20624521
references.citation: J Abnorm Psychol. 1986 May;95(2):107-13
references.pmid: 3711433
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2006 Jul;96(7):1265-70
references.pmid: 16735638
references.citation: J Epidemiol Community Health. 2010 Mar;64(3):229-35
references.pmid: 19679702
references.citation: Ethn Dis. 1999 Winter;9(1):70-80
references.pmid: 10355476
references.citation: Occup Med. 2000 Jan-Mar;15(1):163-88
references.pmid: 10620790
references.citation: J Occup Health Psychol. 1996 Jul;1(3):319-29
references.pmid: 9547054
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 1994 Aug;84(8):1304-7
references.pmid: 8059890
references.citation: J Pers Soc Psychol. 1997 Feb;72(2):373-89
references.pmid: 9107006
references.citation: Lancet. 1997 Jul 26;350(9073):235-9
references.pmid: 9242799
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2003 Feb;93(2):200-8
references.pmid: 12554570
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 1999 Sep;40(3):208-30
references.pmid: 10513145
references.citation: AJS. 2008 Mar;113(5):1394-432
references.pmid: 18831130
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997 Jun;54(6):543-8
references.pmid: 9193195
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 1990;30(12):1273-81
references.pmid: 2367873
references.citation: Diabetes Care. 2008 Jun;31(6):1118-9
references.pmid: 18337303
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2008 Apr;98(4):743-50
references.pmid: 18309126
references.citation: J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 May;84(5):1079-92
references.pmid: 12757150
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 1999 Sep;40(3):193-207
references.pmid: 10513144
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 1977 Sep;106(3):203-14
references.pmid: 900119
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2005 Mar;95(3):496-501
references.pmid: 15727983
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2008 Apr;50(4):381-90
references.pmid: 18404010
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96
references.pmid: 6668417
references.citation: Ethn Dis. 1992 Summer;2(3):207-21
references.pmid: 1467758
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2006 Oct;96(10):1821-8
references.pmid: 17008579
references.citation: Am J Ind Med. 2007 Jan;50(1):8-12
references.pmid: 17096372
references.citation: Epidemiol Rev. 2008;30:118-32
references.pmid: 18587142
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2008 Jul;98(7):1241-7
references.pmid: 18511732
references.citation: J Health Psychol. 1997 Jul;2(3):335-51
references.pmid: 22013026
references.citation: Am Psychol. 1999 Oct;54(10):805-16
references.pmid: 10540593
references.citation: J Pers Soc Psychol. 1984 Apr;46(4):839-52
references.pmid: 6737195
references.citation: J Health Psychol. 2010 Jan;15(1):107-14
references.pmid: 20064889
references.citation: Am J Ind Med. 2004 May;45(5):428-39
references.pmid: 15095425
references.citation: Psychol Med. 1997 Jul;27(4):861-73
references.pmid: 9234464
references.citation: Psychosom Med. 2006 May-Jun;68(3):362-8
references.pmid: 16738065
references.citation: Occup Med (Lond). 2007 Jan;57(1):18-24
references.pmid: 16928781
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2008 Mar;98(3):520-6
references.pmid: 18235069
references.citation: J Occup Health Psychol. 1996 Jan;1(1):9-26
references.pmid: 9547038
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2008 Nov;50(11):1244-52
references.pmid: 19001950
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 2003 Mar;44(1):18-33
references.pmid: 12751308
references.citation: J Asthma. 2007 May;44(4):311-6
references.pmid: 17530531
references.citation: Ann Behav Med. 2004 Aug;28(1):4-9
references.pmid: 15249254
references.citation: J Interpers Violence. 2009 May;24(5):819-43
references.pmid: 18463311
references.citation: Am J Ind Med. 2007 Apr;50(4):245-60
references.pmid: 17311255
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 2000 Sep;41(3):295-313
references.pmid: 11011506