African-American Adjustment Disorder Awareness Association (AAADAA): Racism May Accelerate Aging in African-American Men

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Racism May Accelerate Aging in African-American Men

Date: January 7, 2014

Source: University of Maryland

A new study reveals that racism may impact aging at the cellular level. Researchers found signs of accelerated aging in African American men, ages reporting high levels of racial discrimination and who had internalized anti-Black attitudes. Findings from the study, which is the first to link racism-related factors and biological aging, are published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Racial disparities in health are well-documented, with African Americans having shorter life expectancy, and a greater likelihood of suffering from aging-related illnesses at younger ages compared to Whites. Accelerated aging at the biological level may be one mechanism linking racism and disease risk.

"We examined a biomarker of systemic aging, known as leukocyte telomere length," explained Dr. David H. Chae, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the study's lead investigator.

Shorter telomere length is associated with increased risk of premature death and chronic disease such as diabetes, dementia, stroke and heart disease. "We found that the African American men who experienced greater racial discrimination and who displayed a stronger bias against their own racial group had the shortest telomeres of those studied."

Telomeres are repetitive sequences of DNA capping the ends of chromosomes, which shorten progressively over time -- at a rate of approximately 50-100 base pairs annually. Telomere length is variable, shortening more rapidly under conditions of high psychosocial and physiological stress.

"Telomere length may be a better indicator of biological age, which can give us insight into variations in the cumulative 'wear and tear' of the organism net of chronological age," said Chae. Among African American men with stronger anti-Black attitudes, investigators found that average telomere length was 140 base pairs shorter in those reporting high vs. low levels of racial discrimination; this difference may equate to 1.4 to 2.8 years chronologically.

Participants in the study were 92 African American men between 30-50 years of age. Investigators asked them about their experiences of discrimination in different domains, including work and housing, as well as in getting service at stores or restaurants, from the police, and in other public settings. They also measured racial bias using the Black-White Implicit Association Test. This test gauges unconscious attitudes and beliefs about race groups that people may be unaware of or unwilling to report.

Even after adjusting for participants' chronological age, socioeconomic factors, and health-related characteristics, investigators found that the combination of high racial discrimination and anti-Black bias was associated with the shortest telomeres.

On the other hand, the data revealed that racial discrimination had little relationship with telomere length among those holding pro-Black attitudes. "African American men who have more positive views of their racial group may be buffered from the negative impact of racial discrimination," explained Chae. "In contrast, those who have internalized an anti-Black bias may be less able to cope with racist experiences, which may result in greater stress and shorter telomeres."

The findings from this study are timely in light of regular media reports of racism facing African American men. "Stop-and-frisk policies, and other forms of criminal profiling such as 'driving or shopping while Black' are inherently stressful and have a real impact on the health of African Americans," said Chae.

Researchers found that racial discrimination by police was most commonly reported by participants in the study, followed by discrimination in employment. In addition, African American men are more routinely treated with less courtesy or respect, and experience other daily hassles related to racism.

Chae indicated the need for additional research to replicate findings, including larger studies that follow participants over time. "Despite the limitations of our study, we contribute to a growing body of research showing that social toxins disproportionately impacting African American men are harmful to health," Chae explained. "Our findings suggest that racism literally makes people old."

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African-American Adjustment Disorder Awareness Association (AAADAA)

African-American Adjustment Disorder Awareness Association (AAADAA) was founded by Kenny Anderson (Pontiac, MI) in 2008. Anderson a community wellness advocate had been exposing the negative impact of racist stress on Black health for years.

AAADAA is a group of Blacks whose purpose is to educate Black communities nationally about Adjustment Disorder, what we believe is the foundational mental health problem affecting Blacks in America.

A psychological Adjustment Disorder is characterized by the development of emotional and behavioral symptoms in response to a specific stressor or stressors within your environment. Adjustment Disorder interferes with our ability to cope with ongoing life issues and responsibilities.

According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM IV) there are different types of Adjustment Disorders based on the symptoms that develop. These include: with depressed mood; with anxiety; with mixed emotional response; with conduct disturbance; with mixed emotional problems and conduct disturbance; and unspecified.

We at AAADAA believe that Adjustment Disorder is the most common foundational mental health issue impacting our communities due to the fact that Blacks are the most stressed population in the U.S. Just living under the stressor of racism alone takes a tremendous psychological toll on so many Black people.

In her book, ‘Environmental Stress and African-Americans’, author Grace Carroll states that race is brought to the consciousness of African Americans every day through interaction with employers, service providers, landlords, the police, and the media.

She says the stress experienced by Blacks merely as a result of being African American causes micro-aggressions that include experiences such as being denied service, being falsely accused, being negatively singled out on account of one's race.

Carroll labels the stress that results from such micro-aggressions as Mundane Extreme Environmental Stress (MEES) - which she says is a daily experience, has a significant impact on one's psychological well being and world view, is environmentally induced, and is detracting and energy consuming.

Arline Geronimus a professor of health behavior and health education at the University of Michigan echoes Carroll by stating the stress of living and working in a race conscious society slowly wears down Black people from all walks of life.

From Geronimus perspective racist stress, coupled with poverty, eventually erodes Blacks mental and physical health, a gradual process that she calls ‘weathering’. This daily weathering results in depression, substance abuse, suicide, strained relationships, and frustration that leads to misplaced Black-on-Black violence.

Those of us at AAADAA understand that in order for Black to address Adjustment Disorders in our lives we must become aware of the negative impact of stress and get a handle on it.

Our Blog will be a source of information and dialogue on Black mental health issues