Relation Between Racial Discrimination, Social Class, and Health Among Ethnic Minority Groups

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study explored associations between racism, social class, and health among ethnic minority people in England and Wales. METHODS: We conducted a series of regression analyses on cross-sectional data from the Fourth National Survey of Ethnic Minorities to explore the relation between different indicators of racism and health and household occupational class. RESULTS: Marked independent associations existed between reported experience of racism and perceptions of Britain as a "racist society," household social class, age, sex, and various mental and physical health indicators. These associations showed reasonable consistency across the different ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: The different ways in which racism may manifest itself (as interpersonal violence, institutional discrimination, or socioeconomic disadvantage) all have independent detrimental effects on health, regardless of the health indicator used.