Study: African Americans who experience racism may develop anxiety problems

By Staff Writer

A new study reveals that African Americans who face a significant amount of racial discrimination are at risk of developing anxiety disorders.

The report, which appears in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders, concluded that racial battle fatigue is similar to the long-term effects experienced by soldiers who engage in combat. Researchers from Penn State University based their findings on the National Survey of American Life, which measured the mental health and experiences of discrimination among 5,899 American adults.

A total of 3,560 African Americans, 1,430 Afro-Caribbeans and 891 non-Hispanic white people took part in the survey. About 40 percent of the African Americans surveyed reported they they had been the victims of some form of racial discrimination, and 4.5 percent said that they suffered from general anxiety disorders (GAD). The researchers found that individuals who endured discrimination were more likely to develop the mental condition.

Only 8 percent of non-Hispanic whites reported racial discrimination. Although racism was not associated with GAD among Caucasions, other forms of prejudice - such as age and gender - were linked to anxiety.

Adolescents who suffer from anxiety may benefit from attending wilderness therapy programs, which are designed to help problem teens reduce stress.