Studies have shown that discrimination has a great impact on physical and mental health, particularly among minorities and women. This study examined: (1) the relationship between socioeconomic (SES) variables and discrimination among 1654 African American women recruited through the National Black Women's Health Project; (2) which SES variable(s) are most strongly associated with discrimination; and (3) whether the relationship between SES and discrimination is similar across age. Participants completed a 46-item mailed survey on psychological well-being. The independent variables included household income, education, median income within zip codes of participants' residence, and age. The dependent variable was the total score on a 9-item measure of discrimination used in the Survey of Health Adults, the Population, and the Environment (Hennepin County, MN). A factor analysis confirmed that this scale has only factor (R=.90). The correlation coefficients among the SES variables ranged from .11 for median income by zip code/education to .34 for education/income. Household income was the strongest SES variable associated with discrimination (p<.0001). African American women with household incomes of less than $20,000/year reported significantly higher discrimination than African American women with household incomes between $20,000 and $39,000 and $40,000 or greater. There was also a significant main effect of age (p<.01). African American women who were above 60 years old reported experiencing significantly less discrimination than women who were 50 years old or younger. There were no significant interactions between SES variables and age suggesting that the relationship between SES (i.e., household income) and discrimination is similar across age.
Learning Objectives: To understand the importance of identifying which SES variable is most important with regard to discrimination among African American women; To understand whether the relationship between SES and discrimination is similar across age among African American women
Keywords: African American,
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