The report, published in the October issue of the journal Social Science & Medicine, looked at 461 cases of links between racism and the health and well-being of youngsters. / MCT
Being a victim of racism may trigger poor mental health, depression and anxiety in children and teens, according to a new review.
The report, published in the October issue of the journal Social Science & Medicine, looked at 461 cases of links between racism and the health and well-being of youngsters.
“The review showed there are strong and consistent relationships between racial discrimination and a range of detrimental health outcomes such as low self-esteem, reduced resilience, increased behavior problems and lower levels of well-being,” lead researcher Naomi Priest, of the University of Melbourne in Australia, said in a university news release.
Most of the racism experienced by children and teens involved discrimination by other people, rather than institutional or systemic racism, according to the findings.
The review also revealed an increased risk of poorer birth outcomes among children whose mothers experienced racism during pregnancy.
Most of the studies included in the review were conducted in the U.S. with participants ages 12 to 18. Of the racial/ethnic groups included in the studies, the three most common were African Americans, Hispanics and Asians.
— Robert Preidt, HealthDay