A Path Model of Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among College Students of Color

Objective: Racial/ethnic minorities experience disproportionately greater risk to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study examined racial/ethnic discrimination--as a psychosocial stressor--in a path model and its associations with CVD health risk factors among undergraduate students of color (SoC). Participants: The sample included 404 SoC whose ages ranged from 18 to 54 (M[subscript age] = 21.82, SD = 5.26; 65% female) from a Hispanic Serving Institution in Southern California. Methods: Participants responded to measures assessing the following traditional and non-traditional CVD indicators: depression, anxiety, and body mass index (BMI). A path model was configured with paths corresponding from racial/ethnic discrimination to BMI, depression, and anxiety symptoms, controlling for gender and age. Results: After accounting for covariates, findings revealed greater levels of racial/ethnic discrimination was uniquely associated with greater BMI, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate racial/ethnic discrimination is associated with CVD health risk factors among SoC. Data highlight the importance and magnitude of adverse psychosocial experiences on CVD health.