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Discrimination Causes Nearly Instantaneous Spikes in Stress Hormones
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Discrimination Causes Nearly Instantaneous Spikes in Stress Hormones

The study of real-time cortisol levels opens the door to understanding how daily life events influence health

Rodrigo Pérez Ortega
Science, 2022
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While it seems common sense that enduring racial slurs and constant discrimination would cause psychological and physical harm to people of color, a new study has directly measured the effects. The Yale University study led by Soohyun Nam, while small, may lead to a better understanding of how daily exposure to such negative encounters harms health — and create awareness of these issues in the general population.

Summary

A new study shows that negative racial encounters can affect the health of people of color.

Over a lifetime, racial prejudice and bigotry can affect a person’s health, bringing on anxiety, depression and psychological stress. Such discrimination can weaken the immune system and increase blood pressure. Even a single racial incident can raise stress biomarkers.

A team at Yale University’s School of Nursing led by Soohyun Nam worked with Black communities and churches in the northeastern United States to examine a dozen people aged between 30 and 55.

The team devised survey questions concerning incidents of microaggression and discrimination. For example, they asked whether the participant had ever been mistaken for a low-level service worker because of his or her skin color.

The experiences were recorded on a phone app known as “ecological...

About the Author

Rodrigo Pérez Ortega is a science journalist covering life sciences, medicine, health and academia.

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