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A new study found that young people who experience discrimination — whether due to racism, sexism, ageism, physical appearance or anything else — have an increased risk of mental health issues.
TheUCLA study, publishedin thePediatricsjournal on Monday, looked at 10 years of data involving 1,834 Americans between the ages of 18 and 28. Researchers found that the more instances of discrimination a person faced, the higher their risk of developing mental and behavioral health problems later.
According to a press release, “While previous research has examined the correlation in childhood or later adulthood, this new study is the first to focus on the transition to adulthood and to follow the same group of individuals over time.”
About 93 percent of the people featured in the study said they experience discrimination, with the most common factors being age (26 percent), physical appearance (19 percent), sex (14 percent) and race (13 percent). According to the study, “Overall, people who experienced any amount of discrimination had a 26 percent greater risk for poor health than people who said they did not experience discrimination.”
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“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront new mental health challenges — particularly for vulnerable populations. We have the opportunity to rethink and improve mental health services to acknowledge the impact of discrimination so we can better address it to provide more equitable care delivery,” Lei added.
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
source: people.com
