Discrimination and the Health of African Americans: The Potential Importance of Intersectionalities

Abstract

Research examining associations between self-reported experiences of discrimination overall (e.g., potentially due to race, gender, socioeconomic status, age) and health—particularly among African Americans—has grown rapidly over the past two decades. Yet recent findings suggest that self-reported experiences of racism alone may be less impactful for the health of African Americans than previously hypothesized. Thus, an approach that captures a broader range of complexities in the study of discrimination and health among African Americans may be warranted. This article presents an argument for the importance of examining intersectionalities in studies of discrimination and physical health in African Americans and provides an overview of research in this area.