Perceived racial discrimination, childhood adversity, and self-reported high blood pressure among adults in rural Alabama
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22067775 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tenesha Littleton (0000-0002-0486-5402, University of Alabama, corresponding author), Luciana Giorgio Cosenzo (0000-0002-0738-5463, University of Alabama), Joana Okine (University of Alabama), Sharlene D Newman (0000-0002-5575-8535, University of Alabama) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Pages | 1575793-1575793 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-11 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1575793 |
| PMID | 40717950 |
| OpenAlex | W4412203342 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 58 |
Introduction: Disproportionate exposure to psychosocial stressors, such as racial discrimination, and other forms of adversity across the life course contributes to higher rates of hypertension among Black Americans. However, prior literature is limited by the underrepresentation of rural populations and narrow measurements of racial discrimination. This study examines associations between perceived racial discrimination (through a historical trauma lens), childhood adversity, and self-reported high blood pressure among adults living in predominantly Black communities in rural Alabama. Methods: Data were collected using paper-and-pencil surveys from 184 participants across five rural communities in Alabama in Spring 2023. High blood pressure was assessed via self-report from a list of chronic conditions. Perceived racial discrimination was measured by a 5-item subscale of the African American Historical Trauma Questionnaire. Childhood adversity was measured by the 10-item ACE Study Questionnaire. Binary logistic regression examined associations between high blood pressure, childhood adversity, and perceived racial discrimination, adjusting for psychological distress and sociodemographic factors. Results: Ninety-two percent of the sample were Black Americans. Older age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.12) and higher perceived racial discrimination scores (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.27) were significantly associated with increased odds of high blood pressure. Discussion: Findings highlight the importance of multilevel interventions that are both trauma-informed and culturally tailored to reduce health disparities in rural Black communities
Blood pressure · Logistic regression · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Psychosocial · Racism · Stressor · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Gerontology
Stress, inflammation and cardiovascular disease
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Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences From the 2011-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 23 States
Racism and Hypertension
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Ethnicity- and socio-economic status-related stresses in context
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Adverse childhood experiences and associated health outcomes
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Socioeconomic status and hypertension
Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects
Agreement between self-report questionnaires and medical record data was substantial for diabetes, hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke but not for heart failure
The intersection of neighborhood racial segregation, poverty, and urbanicity and its impact on food store availability in the United States
Chronic Psychosocial Stress and Hypertension
Perceived racial discrimination and hypertension
Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults
Discrimination and racial disparities in health
The health of rural Black communities during Covid
Mental Health First Aid in Rural Communities
Race, Ethnicity, Income Concentration and 10-Year Change in Urban Greenness in the United States
Familial Childhood Adversity is Associated with Chronic Disease Among Women
The Historical Trauma Response Among Natives and Its Relationship with Substance Abuse
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Places of Persistence
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Initial development of the Race-Based Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale
Perceived discrimination is associated with health behaviours among African-Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
Making the “C-ACE” for a Culturally-Informed Adverse Childhood Experiences Framework to Understand the Pervasive Mental Health Impact of Racism on Black Youth
African American Historical Trauma
The Historical Racial Regime and Racial Inequality in Poverty in the American South
Segregation, Racial Structure, and Neighborhood Violent Crime
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |