Gisel Lorena Fattore1,2, Leila D Amorim3, Letícia Marques Dos Santos4, Darci Neves Dos Santos5, Mauricio Lima Barreto5,6. 1. Departamento de Salud Comunitaria, Universidad Nacional de Lanús, 29 de Septiembre 3901 (1826) Remedios de Escalada, Lanús, Argentina. giselfattore@yahoo.com.ar. 2. Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Basílio da Gama, s/n-Canela, Salvador, BA, 40110-040, Brazil. giselfattore@yahoo.com.ar. 3. Departamento de Estatística, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Avenida Ademar de Barros s/n, Campus de Ondina, Salvador, BA, 40170-110, Brazil. 4. Instituto de Humanidades Artes e Ciências Professor Milton Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, PAF-V.-Ondina, Salvador, BA, 40170-115, Brazil. 5. Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Basílio da Gama, s/n-Canela, Salvador, BA, 40110-040, Brazil. 6. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, FIOCRUZ, R. Waldemar Falcão, 121-Candeal, Salvador, BA, 40296-710, Brazil.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the association between personal-level and group-level discrimination and common mental disorders (CMDs) among Afro-Brazilian women, aiming to explore the role of skin color on this association. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study involving 1130 women who were participating in the Social Change, Asthma and Allergy in Latin America (SCAALA) study, whose children were recruited from 24 geographical micro-regions representative of the population without sanitation. Measures of discrimination were defined by: experiences (personal-level) and concern about discrimination (group-level) using the Experiences of Discrimination Scale. Skin color was registered by self-declaration, being classified as white, brown, and black. The association between "self-reported" discrimination and CMDs was evaluated using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Prevalence of CMDs was high (38.3%), especially in the group exposed to discriminatory experiences and black women. Experiences and concern about discrimination were positive and significantly associated with mental health, before and after adjustment for potential confounders. The effect of discrimination on CMDs was lower among black women, suggesting the development of other strategies to confront racism. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the use of both personal- and group-level discrimination measures, as well as skin color, for the evaluation of mental disorders in public health research. Further studies of health consequences of discrimination will require investigation of protective factors for mental disorders in the population suffering discrimination and racism.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the association between personal-level and group-level discrimination and common mental disorders (CMDs) among Afro-Brazilian women, aiming to explore the role of skin color on this association. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study involving 1130 women who were participating in the Social Change, Asthma and Allergy in Latin America (SCAALA) study, whose children were recruited from 24 geographical micro-regions representative of the population without sanitation. Measures of discrimination were defined by: experiences (personal-level) and concern about discrimination (group-level) using the Experiences of Discrimination Scale. Skin color was registered by self-declaration, being classified as white, brown, and black. The association between "self-reported" discrimination and CMDs was evaluated using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Prevalence of CMDs was high (38.3%), especially in the group exposed to discriminatory experiences and black women. Experiences and concern about discrimination were positive and significantly associated with mental health, before and after adjustment for potential confounders. The effect of discrimination on CMDs was lower among black women, suggesting the development of other strategies to confront racism. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the use of both personal- and group-level discrimination measures, as well as skin color, for the evaluation of mental disorders in public health research. Further studies of health consequences of discrimination will require investigation of protective factors for mental disorders in the population suffering discrimination and racism.
Entities:
Keywords:
Brazil; Common mental disorders; Group-level discrimination; Racial discrimination; Skin color
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