Researchers from New York University have found that discrimination may cause accelerated aging, adding to prior research linking discrimination to health problems such as depression and heart issues. The study, published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity-Health, followed over 2,000 participants between 2004-2009 and 2012-2016, with 81% identifying as white and 19% as Black, and the average age being 53. Participants were surveyed on three types of discrimination: everyday discrimination, major discrimination, and workplace discrimination.
The study found that participants who reported higher levels of all forms of discrimination had higher biological aging scores, indicating they aged faster. Everyday and major discrimination had more severe effects than workplace discrimination. Exposure to discrimination can also trigger other physiological and behavioral responses such as poor sleep and higher cortisol levels, which can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar, further contributing to faster aging.
Although Black participants experienced the most discrimination and had higher aging scores, white participants who experienced discrimination were more susceptible to its impacts. This may be due to white participants having fewer coping mechanisms since they do not experience discrimination as often. Previous research has also shown that white people experience more severe effects of discrimination, including higher mortality rates, than Black people.
Adolfo Cuevas, the senior author of the study and an assistant professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at NYU’s School of Global Public Health, stated that experiencing discrimination appears to hasten the aging process, potentially contributing to disease and early mortality, as well as fueling health disparities. Discrimination has been linked to other health issues, with those experiencing intermediate levels of discrimination in the workplace being 22% more likely to develop high blood pressure, and those experiencing high levels being 54% more likely.
Furthermore, young adults who experience discrimination at least a few times a month are 25% more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder and twice as likely to develop severe psychological distress compared to those who experience discrimination less often. Everyday discrimination has been shown to significantly increase moderate to severe depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, while coping mechanisms such as smoking can be increased due to discrimination, leading to heart issues, as per previous research from NYU. Discrimination has also been associated with higher rates of death, especially from heart disease.
Overall, this study adds to the growing body of research that highlights the detrimental effects of discrimination on health, including accelerated aging. By examining discrimination-related aging on a molecular level, researchers are shedding light on the underlying mechanisms that may contribute to these health disparities. Addressing discrimination and its impacts is crucial to promoting overall health and well-being for all individuals.
