School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
J Affect Disord. 2022 Jul 1;308:545-553. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.110. Epub 2022 Apr 20.
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent worldwide but vary significantly by country and ethnoracial background. Minimal published data exist on the prevalence of clinically significant anxiety among Black people in Canada and none using validated measures. Therefore, this study sought to establish the frequency of clinically significant anxiety symptoms among a sample of Black people living in Canada as well as examine the association with two forms of racism (racial discrimination and racial microaggressions).
Data collected from the Black Community Mental Health project in Canada was analyzed. Participants provided (N= 845) sociodemographic information and completed measures assessing anxiety symptomology (GAD-7), everyday racial discrimination, racial microaggressions, and resilience. Prevalence of anxiety symptomatology was determined across sociodemographic variables as well as categories of everyday racial discrimination and racial microaggressions. Two regression models were conducted to examine the relationship between anxiety symptoms and the two forms of racism controlling for sociodemographic factors.
Overall, nearly a third of participants endorsed clinically significant levels of anxiety symptoms, with higher rates observed among men, unemployed people, those with higher education, people who are separated, and those with no reported family history of mental health problems. Logistic regression models demonstrated that, except for those reporting the greatest frequency of racial discrimination, there is a general linear trend such that those experiencing higher levels of racial discrimination or racial microaggressions are increasingly more likely to present with anxiety symptoms when compared to those reporting low levels of discrimination or microaggressions. Psychological resilience afforded nominal protection but only against exposure to racial microaggressions.
Rates of clinically significant anxiety are higher among Black people in Canada than reported previously. Both racial discrimination and racial microaggressions predicted higher rates of anxiety symptoms. The results are discussed in relation to previous findings from the US that report similar findings.
焦虑障碍在全球范围内普遍存在，但在国家和民族背景方面存在显著差异。关于加拿大黑人中具有临床意义的焦虑症患病率，仅有少量已发表的数据，且均未使用经过验证的测量方法。因此，本研究旨在确定生活在加拿大的黑人样本中具有临床意义的焦虑症状的频率，并探讨其与两种形式的种族主义（种族歧视和种族微侵犯）之间的关系。
分析了加拿大黑人社区心理健康项目的数据。参与者提供了（N=845）社会人口统计学信息，并完成了评估焦虑症状（GAD-7）、日常种族歧视、种族微侵犯和适应力的测量。根据社会人口统计学变量以及日常种族歧视和种族微侵犯的类别，确定了焦虑症状的患病率。进行了两个回归模型，以在控制社会人口统计学因素的情况下，检验焦虑症状与两种形式的种族主义之间的关系。
总体而言，近三分之一的参与者表示存在具有临床意义的焦虑症状，其中男性、失业者、受过高等教育者、离异者以及报告无精神健康问题家族史者的比率较高。逻辑回归模型表明，除了报告最高频率的种族歧视者外，还存在一种普遍的线性趋势，即与报告低水平歧视或微侵犯者相比，经历更高水平的种族歧视或种族微侵犯者更有可能出现焦虑症状。心理适应力提供了一定程度的保护，但仅能抵御种族微侵犯的影响。
加拿大黑人中具有临床意义的焦虑症发生率高于先前报告的水平。种族歧视和种族微侵犯均预测焦虑症状的发生率更高。结果与美国的先前发现进行了讨论，这些发现报告了类似的结果。
