Division of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
Stress Health. 2013 Aug;29(3):214-21. doi: 10.1002/smi.2449. Epub 2012 Sep 7.
This study investigated the effect of self-reported racial discrimination on endothelial responses to acute laboratory mental stress among post-menopausal women. One-hundred thirteen women (n = 94 self-identified as White and n = 19 self-identified as racial/ethnic minority), 43% with type 2 diabetes, reported lifetime experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination. Repeated assessments of flow-mediated dilation were performed at baseline, immediately after 5 min of mental arithmetic and at 20-min recovery. Both White and racial/ethnic minority women reported lifetime discrimination, with rates significantly higher among minorities. Self-reported lifetime discrimination was associated with attenuated flow-mediated dilation at recovery. Confounding variables, including clinical characteristics, mood, personality traits, other life stressors and general distress, did not better account for the effect of racial discrimination. Neither race/ethnicity nor diabetes status moderated the effect. The perceived stressfulness of the mental arithmetic was not associated with the endothelial response. In conclusion, self-reported lifetime discrimination is associated with attenuated endothelial recovery from acute mental stress. Elucidating the effects of discrimination and the biological mechanisms through which it affects the vasculature may suggest interventions to improve health.
本研究调查了自我报告的种族歧视对绝经后妇女在急性实验室心理应激下内皮反应的影响。113 名女性（n=94 名自认为是白人，n=19 名自认为是少数族裔/少数民族），43%患有 2 型糖尿病，报告了一生中经历的种族/民族歧视。在基线、5 分钟心算后即刻和 20 分钟恢复期间，重复进行血流介导的扩张评估。白人女性和少数族裔/少数民族女性都报告了一生中的歧视，少数民族的报告率明显更高。自我报告的终身歧视与恢复时血流介导的扩张减弱有关。混杂变量，包括临床特征、情绪、人格特征、其他生活压力源和一般压力，并没有更好地解释种族歧视的影响。种族/民族或糖尿病状况都没有调节这种影响。心算的感知压力与内皮反应无关。总之，自我报告的终身歧视与急性心理应激后内皮恢复减弱有关。阐明歧视的影响以及它影响血管的生物学机制可能有助于提出改善健康的干预措施。
