The Relation Between Discrimination, Sense of Coherence and Health Varies According to Ethnicity: A Study Among Three Distinct Populations in Israel.
Self-reported experiences of discrimination and sense of coherence (SOC) have been found to be associated with health. A face-to-face survey of Long Term Jewish Residents (LTJR), Arabs and former Soviet Union (fSU) immigrants in Israel was performed. Respondents reported their physical and mental health, self-reported experiences of discrimination, SOC and socioeconomic status. Multivariable logistic regressions and bootstrapping path analyses were performed. Discrimination was associated with health after adjusting for all other variables. SOC was also associated with health. SOC did not mediate the strong association between discrimination and health among Israeli LTJR, but was a significant mediator among Arabs and fSU immigrants. Discrimination seems to have a direct effect on health only among the majority and not among minority populations. High levels of SOC may reduce the negative effects of discrimination on health by serving as a coping resource, however only among minorities.
School of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, 31905, Israel. ornaepel@research.haifa.ac.il.
Orna
O
Baron-Epel
Computational Sciences Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.|Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Vincent
V
Berardi
Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
John
J
Bellettiere
School of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, 31905, Israel.
Waleed
W
Shalata
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D012923:Social Class; D014586:USSR / Q000208:ethnology
Discrimination; Ethnicity; Israel; Minorities; Sense of coherence