Racial Discrimination, Identity, and Cardiovascular Health Among African American Men

In this talk, a conceptual framework for examining racial/ethnic disparities in health is presented, specifically considering the contribution of racism in the persistence and perpetuation of poorer health outcomes in racial/ethnic minority communities. While discrimination, defined as the experience of differential treatment, and in particular, unfair treatment attributed to membership in a social group, is one of the more obvious consequences of a racist ideology, among its more insidious consequences is internalized racism, or the acceptance of negative social values about the intrinsic worth of one's racial group. An overview of the growing body of literature suggesting that experiences of discrimination may have consequences for health outcomes among racial/ethnic minorities is provided. In addition, a theoretical model of how racism may be embodied via its influence on racial/ethnic identity and identification is presented. Implications for programs and policies to address racism and discrimination in ameliorating racial/ethnic disparities in health are discussed.