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A Multiple-Group Path Analysis of the Role of Everyday Discrimination on Self-Rated Physical Health among Latina/os in the USA

  • Original Article
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Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Few studies have examined the psychosocial mechanisms through which self-reported discrimination may influence the health status of Latinos.

Purpose

This study examined the mediating role of subjective social status in the USA and psychological distress on the relation between everyday discrimination and self-rated physical health, and the moderating role of gender and ethnicity.

Methods

A US population-based sample of Latinos (N = 2,554) was drawn from the National Latino and Asian American Study. Respondents completed measures of everyday discrimination, subjective social status, psychological distress, and self-rated physical health.

Results

Path analysis revealed that among the total sample, subjective social status and psychological distress sequentially mediated the effect of everyday discrimination on self-rated physical health. Psychological distress was a more consistent mediator across Latino subgroups. Gender and ethnicity moderated the mediation model.

Conclusions

This study provides a systematic examination of how psychosocial mechanisms may operate differently or similarly across Latino subgroups.

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Acknowledgments

This research was based on the doctoral dissertation of the first author, who was partially supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and a Rackham/Women’s Studies Department Dissertation Fellowship. Preparation of this manuscript was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship awarded to the first author, funded through a National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Training Grant (T32HL007426). The authors gratefully acknowledge Laura Klem and Heidi Reichert for their guidance on the statistical analyses, as well as Lilia Cortina, Debra J. Pérez, and Michael Spencer for insightful feedback on this study. We are also thankful for the helpful comments and suggestions of the anonymous reviewers and the Associate Editor, Tracey A. Revenson. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors alone.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Behavioral Medicine Research Center, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA

    Kristine M. Molina Ph.D.

  2. Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, Somerville, MA, USA

    Margarita Alegría Ph.D.

  3. Psychology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Ramaswami Mahalingam Ph.D.

  4. Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Clinical Research Building, 1120 N.W. 14th Street, Room 1516, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Kristine M. Molina Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Kristine M. Molina Ph.D.
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  2. Margarita Alegría Ph.D.
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  3. Ramaswami Mahalingam Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristine M. Molina Ph.D..

Additional information

Portions of this manuscript were presented at the American Public Health Association annual meeting, Denver, CO 2010 and the National Cancer Institute’s The Science of Research on Discrimination and Health Conference, Bethesda, MD 2011. The research in this manuscript won first place in the 2012 American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education/Educational Testing Services’ Outstanding Dissertation Competition.

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Molina, K.M., Alegría, M. & Mahalingam, R. A Multiple-Group Path Analysis of the Role of Everyday Discrimination on Self-Rated Physical Health among Latina/os in the USA. ann. behav. med. 45, 33–44 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9421-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9421-2

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