Ethnic-Racial Stigma and Physical Health Disparities in the United States of America

Ethnic-racial diversity in the United States is a source of national pride, but it is overshadowed by the reality that stigmatized groups are disproportionately burdened by negative physical health. The social contexts and their activated psychological processes that contribute to ethnic-racial health disparities are not well understood. Moreover, scientists should delineate the implications of their research for public policies that address health disparities. This Journal of Social Issues volume brings together social, developmental, cognitive, and clinical psychological research on health disparities. Furthermore, it discusses how the present research informs public health policy.

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW  Ethnic-Racial Stigma and Health Disparities: From Psychological Theory and Evidence to Public Policy Solutions  Luis M. Rivera 197     SECTION II: INTRAPERSONAL FACTORS AS A SOURCE OF PHYSICAL HEALTH DISPARITIES  Identity-Based Motivation: Implications for Health and Health Disparities Daphna Oyserman, George C. Smith, and Kristen Elmore 205 Stereotypes Can “Get Under the Skin”: Testing a Self-Stereotyping and Psychological Resource Model of Overweight and Obesity   Luis M. Rivera and Stefanie M. Paredez 225 The Relationships among Vigilant Coping Style, Race, and Depression  Thomas A. LaVeist, Roland J. Thorpe Jr., Geraldine Pierre, GiShawn A. Mance, and David R. Williams 240  SECTION III: INTERPERSONAL AND INTERGROUP FACTORS AS A SOURCE OF PHYSICAL HEALTH DISPARITIES  Stress and Coping in Interracial Contexts: The Influence of Race-Based Rejection Sensitivity and Cross-Group Friendship in Daily Experiences of Health   Elizabeth Page-Gould, Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, and Wendy Berry Mendes 255  Perceived Racial Discrimination, Drug Use, and Psychological Distress in African American Youth: A Pathway to Child Health Disparities   Kathy Sanders-Phillips, Wendy Kliewer, Taqi Tirmazi, Von Nebbitt, Takisha Carter, and Heather Key 278  Everyday Discrimination Prospectively Predicts Inflammation across 7-Years in Racially Diverse Midlife Women: Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation   Danielle L. Beatty, Charlotte Brown, Karen A. Matthews and Joyce T. Bromberger 297    SECTION IV: STRUCTURAL FACTORS AS A SOURCE OF PHYSICALHEALTH DISPARITIES Stress-Related Externalizing Behavior among African American Youth: How Could Policy and Practice Transform Risk into Resilience? Sonya S. Brady, Willie Winton III, and Sonia E. Gockley 315 An Empirical Test of Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceived Racism and Affiliation with the Gay Community: Implications for HIV Risk Rahwa Haile, Tawandra L. Rowell-Cunsolo, Edith A. Parker, Mark B. Padilla, and Nathan B. Hansen 342 Examining Neighborhood Environment and Central Obesity in the YES Health Study Ronica N. Rooks, Yanmei Xu, and David Williams 359 SECTION V: CONCLUSION Conceptual and Methodological Challenges for Health Disparities Research and Their Policy Implications Brian D. Smedley and Hector F. Meyers 381