Perceived Racism and Health Among Black Americans: The Role of Racial Identity as a Moderator Over Time

Carlos Daniel Tavares

SAGE Open, 2023, vol. 13, issue 1, 21582440231153849

Abstract: Perceived racism is an important health stressor, but few studies explore resources that moderate the association between perceived racism and health over time. Most previous research models racial identity as a main effect and its moderating potential remains unclear. In this study, I use the Stress Process Model to test whether racial identity moderates the association between perceived racism and changes in self-rated health among Black Americans. Data from the American Changing Lives study are used to test this research question ( n  = 388). Strength of racial identity moderates the association between perceived racism and changes in self-rated health. A strong racial identity buffers the relationship between perceived racism and health for low levels of racism. However, a strong racial identity exacerbates this association for those experiencing high levels of racism. These findings suggest that racial identity may be a protective factor, but it does not buffer against chronic exposure to racism. This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting that whether racial identity is health-protective against perceived racism depends on the level of perceived racism Black Americans experience. Future studies should continue investigating the conditions under which racial identity buffers the perceived racism-health association.

Keywords: racial identity; Black Americans; racism; stress process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:13:y:2023:i:1:p:21582440231153849

DOI: 10.1177/21582440231153849

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