Investigating the Associations of Everyday Discrimination and Inflammation in Latina Women: A Pilot Study.

Discrimination is associated with negative health outcomes among Latinos. Research on the link between discrimination and inflammation in adults has focused on pro-inflammatory markers rather than characterizing the more informative balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory markers. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the associations of everyday discrimination with inflammation ratio (defined as the ratio of pro- to anti-inflammatory cytokines) in a sample of middle-aged and older Latinas. Latinas were recruited from an existing study in New York City. Participants reported frequency and count of everyday discrimination. Peripheral blood was used to analyze pro- (IL-1 The final sample included 40 Latinas (mean age = 63.2 years). Approximately 68% had household incomes less than $15,000. More than half (53%) reported experiencing some form of everyday discrimination. Regression models showed everyday discrimination was not associated with individual pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In adjusted regression models, the frequency of everyday discrimination was not associated with inflammation ratios ( The count of everyday discrimination was positively associated with inflammation in Latina women. Future studies should replicate these findings using longitudinal assessment of discrimination and inflammatory markers.