title: Self-reported experiences of discrimination and inflammation among men and women: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations of lifetime and everyday discrimination with inflammation independent of sociodemographic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional associations of self-reported experiences of everyday discrimination and lifetime discrimination with interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were examined by gender in a multiethnic sample of 3,099 men and 3,468 women aged 45-84 years. Everyday discrimination, lifetime discrimination due to any attribution, and lifetime discrimination attributed to race/ethnicity were based on self-report, and IL-6 and CRP were assayed from blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among women, higher levels of all 3 discrimination measures were significantly associated with higher IL-6 in models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, recent infection, anti-inflammatory medication use, and hormone replacement therapy use. All associations were attenuated with adjustment for body mass index (BMI). For men, everyday discrimination was inversely associated with IL-6 in all adjusted models. Lifetime discrimination was not related to IL-6 among men. Discrimination was unassociated with CRP in all models for both men and women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between discrimination and inflammation varied by gender and marker of inflammation. These findings highlight the complex relationship between discrimination and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and point to areas in need of further research. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Kiarri N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kershaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University.
authors.forename: Tené T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Ana V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Diez Roux
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Nancy S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Jenny
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Kiang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Penedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Mercedes R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Carnethon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063505:Racism; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein