A new study published in JAMA Network Open looked at discrimination, depression, and anxiety among US adults.
“Our study examines how everyday discrimination affects mental health, specifically anxiety and depression, across a representative group of U.S. adults including multiracial, white, Asian, Black, and Hispanic/Latino populations,” study author Monica Wang told us. “We wanted to better understand if and how discrimination impacts mental health differently across these groups, especially beyond the typical Black-White or Hispanic/Latino vs. non-Hispanic/non-Latino comparisons.”
The research team anticipated that experiencing discrimination would be associated with poorer mental health, meaning higher odds of screening positive for anxiety and depression. They also hypothesized that the strength of this association might differ depending on race or ethnicity, particularly among groups that are often overlooked and understudied in discrimination research.
“Discrimination is increasingly recognized as a serious public health issue, yet discussions often center around Black and White comparisons,” Wang told us. “We wanted to broaden the scope of our understanding. Exploring how discrimination impacts multiracial, Asian, and even white populations, who are typically less emphasized in this area of research, can reveal new insights and help us craft better policies and interventions.”
The research team analyzed data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey, which included nearly 30,000 U.S. adults. Their results were weighted to represent over 258 million adults. Participants answered questions about their experiences of everyday discrimination, things like being treated unfairly, receiving poor service, or facing disrespectful behavior, and completed clinical screenings for depression and anxiety. Using statistical models, the researchers examined how experiencing discrimination was related to mental health outcomes, and whether these relationships differed by racial and ethnic groups.
“We found that more frequent experiences of discrimination were strongly linked to higher odds of anxiety and depression across all groups,” Wang told us. “Notably, multiracial, White, and Asian adults showed a particularly pronounced increase in anxiety and depression as discrimination increased. About 56% of U.S. adults reported experiencing some form of everyday discrimination, highlighting just how widespread the issue is.”
While the researchers expected discrimination to negatively affect mental health, seeing how clearly this effect appeared in populations less frequently discussed, like White, Asian, and multiracial adults, was “striking”.
“It underscored that discrimination’s mental health impact extends far beyond the most commonly discussed groups,” Wang told us. “Our findings emphasize that discrimination is a public health issue affecting everyone, not just historically marginalized groups.”
Going forward, the researchers believe broader mental health policies that address discrimination comprehensively across diverse populations are needed. Health professionals, policymakers, and community leaders should incorporate these insights into mental health services, screenings, and educational efforts, ensuring that the mental health needs of all individuals experiencing discrimination are effectively addressed.
“This study highlights an important but overlooked perspective that everyone has a stake in combating discrimination,” Wang told us. “Our results also revealed higher prevalence of discrimination among women, immigrants, individuals facing food insecurity, and those who are overweight or obese. By recognizing that discrimination broadly impacts mental health across all communities and experiences, we open up new opportunities for collaborative action to create a healthier society.”