Differential associations between everyday versus institution-specific racial discrimination, self-reported health, and allostatic load among black women: implications for clinical assessment and epidemiologic studies

Black women have the highest estimated allostatic load (AL). AL and self-perceived health are strong health predictors and have been linked to racial discrimination. Research suggests that everyday and institution-specific racial discrimination may predict different AL and self-reported health (SRH) outcomes. Furthermore, discrepancies between AL and self-perceived health could widen disparities. We estimated associations between everyday versus institution-specific racial discrimination with AL and SRH. Data are from a San Francisco Bay Area community sample of 208 black women aged 30–50 years. Participation involved a questionnaire, self-interview, blood draw, and anthropometric measurements. Adjusted generalized linear regression models estimated associations of racial discrimination with AL and SRH. After adjusting for age, socioeconomic position, and medication use, institution-specific discrimination was negatively associated with AL (i.e., better health), whereas everyday experiences showed no association. Those reporting very-high (vs. moderate) institution-specific discrimination had lower AL (β = −1.31 [95% CI: −2.41, −0.20]; AL range: 0–15). No racial discrimination—SRH association was found. For black women, (1) institution-specific racial discrimination may be differentially embodied compared with everyday experiences and (2) institutional racism may contribute to physiologic stress-regulation regardless of self-perceived health status. Potential factors that may contribute to an inverse racial discrimination—AL association, and future research, are discussed.