Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 17;20(3):1660. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20031660.
Evidence from previous research indicates that while socioeconomic status (SES) narrows Black-White health inequities, these inequities do not completely disappear, and in some cases, worsen. Why do Black-White health inequities persist, even when controlling for SES? It is critical to examine how perceptions of unfair treatment, especially those that are nuanced and subtle, affect the mental health of Black Americans with greater levels of SES. This study, using a new sample composed exclusively of college-educated Black Americans, investigated whether experiences related to racism were associated with poorer mental health. Qualtrics provided the sample from their nationwide panelists that met the research criteria. Inclusion criteria included the following: (1) self-identified as Black or African American; (2) at least 24 years old; (3) completed a 4-year college degree or higher. The findings from this study indicated that the effects of unfair treatment are significantly associated with poorer mental health. These findings highlight the insidious nature of contemporary racism as the everyday experiences of unfair treatment have a tremendous effect on depressive symptoms among this sample of college-educated Black Americans. Efforts to simply improve SES among historically marginalized groups will not bring about health equity. Findings from this study indicate that there are mental health costs associated with upward social mobility. It is likely that these costs, particularly the experience of everyday unfair treatment, likely diminish the social, economic and health returns on the human capital.
先前的研究证据表明，尽管社会经济地位（SES）缩小了黑人和白人之间的健康不平等，但这些不平等并没有完全消失，在某些情况下甚至恶化了。为什么即使控制了 SES，黑人和白人之间的健康不平等仍然存在？检查不公平待遇的看法，特别是那些微妙和细微的看法，如何影响 SES 较高的非裔美国人的心理健康，这是至关重要的。本研究使用一个完全由受过大学教育的非裔美国人组成的新样本，调查了与种族主义有关的经历是否与较差的心理健康有关。Qualtrics 从符合研究标准的全国范围内的小组人员中提供了样本。纳入标准包括：（1）自认为是黑人或非裔美国人；（2）至少 24 岁；（3）完成了四年制大学学位或更高学位。本研究的结果表明，不公平待遇的影响与较差的心理健康显著相关。这些发现突显了当代种族主义的阴险本质，因为不公平待遇的日常经历对这个受过大学教育的非裔美国人群体的抑郁症状产生了巨大影响。仅仅努力提高历史上处于边缘地位的群体的 SES，并不会带来健康公平。本研究的结果表明，与向上的社会流动相关存在心理健康成本。很可能这些成本，特别是日常不公平待遇的经历，可能会降低人力资本的社会、经济和健康回报。
