title: Perceived reactions to race and health status in the Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the relationship between race, perceptions of personally mediated racism and health outcomes in the Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Regression analysis of 8,266 respondents to the Reactions to Race module in 2006 and 2008. Questions assessing personally mediated racism were combined to measure perceptions of reactions to race.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adjusted odds ratios and 95% CI of perceived personally mediated racism, self-reported overall health, life satisfaction, health risks (smoking status, obesity, binge and heavy drinking), and preventive services (colonoscopy, flu vaccine).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Black non-Hispanic respondents are 10.4 times (95% CI: 6.3-17.3; P<.001) and Hispanics 5.8 times (95% CI: 3.6-9.4; P<.001) more likely to report being treated worse than other races compared to White non-Hispanic respondents. Respondents of all races reporting being treated worse than other races are 3.2 times (95% CI: 1.9-5.4; P<.001) more likely to have fair/poor health and 4.1 times (95% CI: 2.1-7.9; P<.001) more likely to report life dissatisfaction than those treated the same or better than other races. There is no statistically significant association between perceived personally mediated racism and health risks or preventive services tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceptions of personally mediated racism are significantly associated with fair/poor overall health and life dissatisfaction, but none of the health risks or preventive services tested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA.
authors.forename: Rachael B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.forename: Liane J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tinsley
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hawk
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D063505:Racism; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking