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Self-Reported Experiences of Discrimination and Cardiovascular Disease

  • Race and Ethnicity (M Albert, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Researchers have long speculated that exposure to discrimination may increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk but compared to other psychosocial risk factors, large-scale epidemiologic and community based studies examining associations between reports of discrimination and CVD risk have only emerged fairly recently. This review summarizes findings from studies of self-reported experiences of discrimination and CVD risk published between 2011–2013. We document the innovative advances in recent work, the notable heterogeneity in these studies, and the considerable need for additional work with objective clinical endpoints other than blood pressure. Implications for the study of racial disparities in CVD and clinical practice are also discussed.

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References

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Conflict of Interest

Tené T. Lewis, David R. Williams, Mahader Tamene, and Cheryl R. Clark declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, NE, CNR Room 3027, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Tené T. Lewis

  2. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    David R. Williams

  3. Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Mahader Tamene

  4. Center for Community Health and Health Equity, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women’s-Faulkner Hospitalist Program, Boston, MA, USA

    Cheryl R. Clark

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  1. Tené T. Lewis
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Correspondence to Tené T. Lewis.

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Lewis, T.T., Williams, D.R., Tamene, M. et al. Self-Reported Experiences of Discrimination and Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep 8, 365 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-013-0365-2

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