Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023

Objective: Discrimination is a social determinant contributing to health inequities in the United States (US). This study investigated the prevalence of, and sociodemographic disparities in, perceived everyday discrimination among a national sample of US adults. Methods: We used data from the 2023 N...

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Main Authors: Delvon T. Mattingly, Osayande Agbonlahor, Joy L. Hart
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Preventive Medicine Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335524003711
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author Delvon T. Mattingly
Osayande Agbonlahor
Joy L. Hart
author_facet Delvon T. Mattingly
Osayande Agbonlahor
Joy L. Hart
author_sort Delvon T. Mattingly
collection DOAJ
description Objective: Discrimination is a social determinant contributing to health inequities in the United States (US). This study investigated the prevalence of, and sociodemographic disparities in, perceived everyday discrimination among a national sample of US adults. Methods: We used data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey (n = 27,538) and estimated the prevalence of three perceived everyday discrimination outcomes (1) any discrimination, (2) unique components of the discrimination experience, and (3) the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) (range: 0–20) overall and by age, sex assigned at birth, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, educational attainment, income-to-poverty ratio, and urban-rural status. Results: Over half of US adults experienced any discrimination (55.8 %), and the most common form of perceived discrimination was being treated with less respect (45.2 %). Adults who were younger (aged 18–44), female, non-Hispanic Black, sexual minority, some college-educated, low income, or urban-living generally reported higher discrimination. For example, among the sample, non-Hispanic Black (vs. non-Hispanic White) (OR: 1.61, 95 % CI: 1.44–1.81) and sexual minority (vs. heterosexual) (OR: 2.48, 95 % CI: 2.12–2.90) adults had the highest odds of any discrimination and EDS scores (β: 1.38 (95 % CI: 1.17–1.59) and β: 1.65 (95 % CI: 1.35–1.94), respectively). The odds of perceived discrimination varied in magnitude by specific experience; for example, sexual minority adults had the highest odds of being threatened or harassed (OR: 2.93, 95 % CI: 2.52–3.42). Conclusions: Perceived everyday discrimination is prevalent and differentially affects adults, especially members of marginalized and underserved populations. Understanding discrimination patterns will benefit public health and medical efforts aimed at mitigating exposure and deleterious health consequences.
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spelling doaj-art-d3194d280a934fd5a21ea6db36c033912025-01-11T06:41:18ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552025-01-0149102956Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023Delvon T. Mattingly0Osayande Agbonlahor1Joy L. Hart2Center for Health, Engagement, and Transformation, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Corresponding author at: Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USADepartment of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA; Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USAObjective: Discrimination is a social determinant contributing to health inequities in the United States (US). This study investigated the prevalence of, and sociodemographic disparities in, perceived everyday discrimination among a national sample of US adults. Methods: We used data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey (n = 27,538) and estimated the prevalence of three perceived everyday discrimination outcomes (1) any discrimination, (2) unique components of the discrimination experience, and (3) the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) (range: 0–20) overall and by age, sex assigned at birth, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, educational attainment, income-to-poverty ratio, and urban-rural status. Results: Over half of US adults experienced any discrimination (55.8 %), and the most common form of perceived discrimination was being treated with less respect (45.2 %). Adults who were younger (aged 18–44), female, non-Hispanic Black, sexual minority, some college-educated, low income, or urban-living generally reported higher discrimination. For example, among the sample, non-Hispanic Black (vs. non-Hispanic White) (OR: 1.61, 95 % CI: 1.44–1.81) and sexual minority (vs. heterosexual) (OR: 2.48, 95 % CI: 2.12–2.90) adults had the highest odds of any discrimination and EDS scores (β: 1.38 (95 % CI: 1.17–1.59) and β: 1.65 (95 % CI: 1.35–1.94), respectively). The odds of perceived discrimination varied in magnitude by specific experience; for example, sexual minority adults had the highest odds of being threatened or harassed (OR: 2.93, 95 % CI: 2.52–3.42). Conclusions: Perceived everyday discrimination is prevalent and differentially affects adults, especially members of marginalized and underserved populations. Understanding discrimination patterns will benefit public health and medical efforts aimed at mitigating exposure and deleterious health consequences.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335524003711DiscriminationHealth disparitiesHealth inequitiesDisadvantaged groupsMarginalized groupsSocial inequalities
spellingShingle Delvon T. Mattingly
Osayande Agbonlahor
Joy L. Hart
Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023
Preventive Medicine Reports
Discrimination
Health disparities
Health inequities
Disadvantaged groups
Marginalized groups
Social inequalities
title Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023
title_full Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023
title_fullStr Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023
title_full_unstemmed Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023
title_short Sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the United States, 2023
title_sort sociodemographic disparities in everyday discrimination among a national sample of adults in the united states 2023
topic Discrimination
Health disparities
Health inequities
Disadvantaged groups
Marginalized groups
Social inequalities
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335524003711
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AT joylhart sociodemographicdisparitiesineverydaydiscriminationamonganationalsampleofadultsintheunitedstates2023