Abstract
Objective: To explore the associations between self-reported racism and health and wellbeing outcomes for young Aboriginal Australian people.
Design, setting and participants: A cross-sectional study of 345 Aboriginal Australians aged 16-20 years who, as participants in the prospective Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study, were recruited at birth between 1987 and 1990 and followed up between 2006 and 2008.
Main outcome measures: Self-reported social and emotional wellbeing using a questionnaire validated as culturally appropriate for the study's participants; recorded body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio.
Results: Self-reported racism was reported by 32% of study participants. Racism was significantly associated with anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 2.18 [95% CI, 1.37-3.46]); depression (OR, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.33-3.53]); suicide risk (OR, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.25-4.00]); and poor overall mental health (OR, 3.35 [95% CI, 2.04-5.51]). No significant associations were found between self-reported racism and resilience or any anthropometric measures.
Conclusions: Self-reported racism was associated with poor social and emotional well being outcomes, including anxiety, depression, suicide risk and poor overall mental health.
Design, setting and participants: A cross-sectional study of 345 Aboriginal Australians aged 16-20 years who, as participants in the prospective Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study, were recruited at birth between 1987 and 1990 and followed up between 2006 and 2008.
Main outcome measures: Self-reported social and emotional wellbeing using a questionnaire validated as culturally appropriate for the study's participants; recorded body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio.
Results: Self-reported racism was reported by 32% of study participants. Racism was significantly associated with anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 2.18 [95% CI, 1.37-3.46]); depression (OR, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.33-3.53]); suicide risk (OR, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.25-4.00]); and poor overall mental health (OR, 3.35 [95% CI, 2.04-5.51]). No significant associations were found between self-reported racism and resilience or any anthropometric measures.
Conclusions: Self-reported racism was associated with poor social and emotional well being outcomes, including anxiety, depression, suicide risk and poor overall mental health.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 546-550 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Medical Journal of Australia |
| Volume | 194 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 16 May 2011 |