A Path Model of Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among College Students of Color

Objective: Racial/ethnic minorities experience disproportionately greater risk to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study examined racial/ethnic discrimination--as a psychosocial stressor--in a path model and its associations with CVD health risk factors among undergraduate students of color (SoC...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of American college health 2022-10, Vol.70 (7), p.1926-1930
Main Authors: Serpas, Dylan G, García, James J, Arellano-Morales, Leticia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Differences
Anxiety
Body Composition
Body mass index
Cardiovascular diseases
College students
Correlation
Depression (Psychology)
Ethnic groups
Ethnicity
Gender Differences
Health risk assessment
Health risks
Heart Disorders
Mental depression
Minority Group Students
Minority groups
Minority Serving Institutions
Physical Health
Psychosocial factors
Racial Discrimination
Racism
Risk
Risk factors
Social Discrimination
Stress Variables
Symptoms
Undergraduate Students
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Summary:Objective: Racial/ethnic minorities experience disproportionately greater risk to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study examined racial/ethnic discrimination--as a psychosocial stressor--in a path model and its associations with CVD health risk factors among undergraduate students of color (SoC). Participants: The sample included 404 SoC whose ages ranged from 18 to 54 (M[subscript age] = 21.82, SD = 5.26; 65% female) from a Hispanic Serving Institution in Southern California. Methods: Participants responded to measures assessing the following traditional and non-traditional CVD indicators: depression, anxiety, and body mass index (BMI). A path model was configured with paths corresponding from racial/ethnic discrimination to BMI, depression, and anxiety symptoms, controlling for gender and age. Results: After accounting for covariates, findings revealed greater levels of racial/ethnic discrimination was uniquely associated with greater BMI, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate racial/ethnic discrimination is associated with CVD health risk factors among SoC. Data highlight the importance and magnitude of adverse psychosocial experiences on CVD health.
ISSN:0744-8481
1940-3208
DOI:10.1080/07448481.2020.1841772