Cited by 386Racial and Ethnic Identity ResearchBlood Pressure and Hypertension StudiesHealth disparities and outcomes

Perceived Racial Discrimination and Hypertension: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

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Dolezsar, Cynthia M., McGrath, Jennifer J., Herzig, Alyssa J. M., Miller, Sydney B.·2014·Health Psychology

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Discrimination is posited to underlie racial disparities in hypertension. Extant literature suggests a possible association between racial discrimination and blood pressure, although inconsistent findings have been reported. The aim of this comprehensive systematic review was to quantitatively evaluate the association between perceived racial discrimination with hypertensive status and systolic, diastolic, and ambulatory blood pressure. METHOD: Electronic database search of PubMed and PsycINFO (keywords: blood pressure/hypertension/diastolic/systolic, racism/discrimination/prejudice/unfair treatment) was combined with descendancy and ascendancy approaches. Forty-four articles (N = 32,651) met inclusion criteria. Articles were coded for demographics, hypertensive diagnosis, blood pressure measurement, discrimination measure and constructs, study quality, and effect sizes. RESULTS: Random effects meta-analytic models were tested based on Fisher's Z, the derived common effect size metric. Overall, perceived racial discrimination was associated with hypertensive status, Zhypertension = 0.048, 95% CI [.013, .087], but not with resting blood pressure, Zsystolic = 0.011, 95% CI [-.006, .031], Zdiastolic = .016, 95% CI [-.006, .034]. Moderators that strengthened the relation included sex (male), race (Black), age (older), education (lower), and hypertensive status. Perceived discrimination was most strongly associated with nighttime ambulatory blood pressure, especially among Blacks. CONCLUSIONS: Despite methodological limitations in the existing literature, there was a small, significant association between perceived discrimination and hypertension. Future studies should consider ambulatory nighttime blood pressure, which may more accurately capture daily variation attributable to experienced racial discrimination. Perceived discrimination may partly explain racial health disparities.

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  • In a recent meta-analysis, Dolezsar et al. found that racism was not significantly related to either blood pressure or hypertension.

    “In a recent meta-analysis Dolezsar et al. [34] also found that racism was not significantly related to either blood pressure or hypertension.”

    From Racism as a Determinant of Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2015) · cites this paper as [34]

    The Results (page unavailable) report no significant overall association with resting systolic or diastolic blood pressure, supporting that part of the claim. But they report a significant association with hypertensive status, contrary to the claim that hypertension was also not significantly related to perceived racial discrimination. Nighttime ambulatory blood pressure was also significantly associated. (LLM, conf=0.94)

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Authors
Dolezsar, C. M., McGrath, J. J., Herzig, A. J. M., & Miller, S. B.
Affiliations
Concordia University (US)
Venue
Health Psychology
Published
2014-01
Volume
33
Issue
1
Pages
20-34
ISSN
  • 0278-6133 (ISSN-L)
  • 1930-7810
OpenAlex
W2082058245
Cited by
385
References
92
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 8
FWCI
82.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Fonds de Recherche Société et Culture
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Keywords
perceived racial discrimination, hypertension, racial disparities in health, blood pressure, ambulatory blood pressure, nocturnal blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, African Americans, sex differences, socioeconomic factors
MeSH terms
Black or African American, Blood Pressure, Humans, Hypertension, Social Perception, Racism

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