Understanding the link between discrimination, mental health, outcomes, and life chances among Latinos (2006)
The authors (Araújo and Borrell) look at the current (as of 2006) literature on the relationship between discrimination and health outcomes for Latinos. Throughout, they underscore how limited the available research is.
Because of the racial (phenotype: e.g. skin color) and ethnic (e.g., country of association, spoken language, etc.) diversity among Hispanics/Latinos(as), it’s difficult to generalize results from studies that only represent one racial or ethnic group. In the US Census, Hispanics identify as Black (~3%), White (~50%), and other (~47%). Hispanics also tend to identify themselves in terms of their ancestral nationality, e.g. Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, etc. In addition, immigration status, English-language proficiency, and other acculturation markers categorize Hispanics and may predict their exposure to discrimination.
In their research, Araújo and Borrell found some measures of discrimination and other psychometrics created specifically for the Hispanic population, but they argue for more in-group and within-group analysis. In other words, research must focus on Mexicans, as well as Puerto Ricans; on Black Dominicans, as well as White Cubans; at bilingual South Americans, as well as monolingual Central Americans.
Existing literature shows that Hispanics experience discrimination based on a number of the aforementioned factors: e.g., skin color, level of acculturation, and language (55% of Spanish-dominant Latinos reported discrimination, compared to 38% of bilingual Latinos, and 29% of English-dominant Latinos). Future research that focuses on particular races and ethnicities within the Hispanic/Latino(a) population will allow public health workers to culturally tailor interventions.
The roles of gender and within-group discrimination also need more attention in future research.
Relevance to documentary: The diversity among Hispanics parallels the diversity in the United States: Blacks, Whites, and everyone else. In the film, I ask everyone about their experiences with discrimination, of any kind. Although I try to solicit experiences from everyone, even those Hispanics who identify as White—the group that may experience the least amount of racism—in my analysis, I haven’t distinguished Hispanics by race, unless the respondent specified it. I will be cognizant of the mediating effect of skin color on the relationship between discrimination and Hispanic identity. I suspect, however, that white Hispanics are still susceptible to the anti-Latino sentiment in our society, depending on their cultural ties, English-language proficiency, and immigration status.
Link (Google Scholar)