Discrimination—including Agism, Racism and Lookism—tied to Worse Mental Health, Poor Health, and Drug Use in Youth

Discrimination is linked to harms for young people. Whether based on race, age or physical appearance, discrimination experiences are tied to short- and longer-term risk of poor mental health, substance use, and worse wellbeing and ability to thrive. These are the conclusions of a study, “Discrimination and Subsequent Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Young,” in the December 2021 Pediatrics (available online Nov. 8). Researchers at UCLA examined data from six waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Transition to Adulthood Supplement, from 2007-2017 with 1,834 participants, ages 18–28. They found experiencing discrimination was associated with higher prevalence of emotional distress, mental illness diagnosis, drug use, and poor overall health. Other outcomes related to discrimination include languishing, which is when people feel life has little purpose and feel stagnant and empty. Young people who reported more frequent experiences of interpersonal discrimination reported more emotional distress, drug abuse, poor health, and languishing, and they were more likely to be diagnosed with a psychological disorder whether in the same year as when they experienced the discrimination or up to six years later. Researchers concluded that this study sheds light on the impact of discrimination on young people, but that more research is needed into the impact and causality of this relationship.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.