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Published online before print December 24, 2007
Psychosom Med 2007, doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e31815ff3bd
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© 2007 by American Psychosomatic Society

Original Article


Received March 8, 2007
Returned for revision August 9, 2007

Racism and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in a Community Sample

Elizabeth Brondolo , PhD, Daniel J. Libby , MA, Ellen-ge Denton , MS, Shola Thompson , MA, Danielle L. Beatty , PhD, Joseph Schwartz , PhD, Monica Sweeney , MD, Jonathan N. Tobin , PhD, Andrea Cassells , MPH, Thomas G. Pickering , MD, William Gerin , PhD


Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Elizabeth Brondolo, PhD, E-mail: brondole{at}stjohns.edu.


  Abstract

Objective: Racism has been identified as a psychosocial stressor that may contribute to disparities in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. The goal of the present article was to investigate the relationship of perceived racism to ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in a sample of American-born Blacks and Latinos. Methods: Participants included English-speaking Black or Latino(a) adults between the ages of 24 and 65. They completed daily mood diaries and measures of perceived racism, socioeconomic status, and hostility. Participants were outfitted with ABP monitors; 357 provided data on waking hours only, and 245 provided data on both waking and nocturnal ABP. Results: Perceived racism was positively associated with nocturnal ABP even when controlling for personality factors and socioeconomic status. Conclusions: The results suggest that racism may influence cardiovascular disease risk through its effects on nocturnal BP recovery.

Key Words: ambulatory blood pressure, racism, discrimination, cardiovascular disease, ecological momentary assessment, hypertension






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Copyright © 2007 by the American Psychosomatic Society