The Relationship between C-reactive Protein and Perceived Everyday Discrimination in Black and White Adults

• In Event: 343 - Section on Medical Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 22. Race, Ethnicity, and Health

Abstract

Racial disparities in health continue to persist. Perceived discrimination has been associated with the onset of physical health problems and biomarkers of health, including C-reactive protein. Given the continued finding that C-reactive protein levels differ by race, the present study was conducted to determine whether perceived everyday discrimination may be the key to understanding elevations in CRP levels and how they differ by race. A sample of 4,053 Black and White adults aged 51 and older was taken from the 2006 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Logistic regression analyses tested whether everyday discrimination influenced the probability of elevated CRP, while controlling for key demographic, behavioral, and health covariates. Analyses were then stratified by race to determine whether everyday discrimination differentially influenced the odds of elevated CRP for Blacks and Whites. Everyday discrimination was not associated with elevated CRP for the entire sample when adjusting for chronic conditions or behavioral characteristics. However, when the sample was stratified by race, a relationship was found for both Blacks and Whites. Everyday discrimination was inversely associated with elevated CRP in Blacks in the full model, after adjusting for demographics, chronic conditions, and behavioral characteristics. Everyday discrimination and elevated CRP were positively associated for Whites, although this relationship was not independent of chronic conditions or risky behaviors. There is a need to further explore the way that everyday discrimination influences CRP, such as through identifying social factors that may influence the negative effects, and understanding important within-group differences (age, sex, SES, marital status).

Authors

• Heather R Collins-Farmer, Pennsylvania State University

• Linda A. Wray, Pennsylvania State University