OP 16: Exclusion and Discrimmination 2, B207 (FCSH), September 4, 2025, 13:30 - 14:30
Aim
Discrimination, whether structural, institutional, or interpersonal, can have a negative impact on mental and physical health. Experiencing discrimination may lead to chronic stress, which may burden the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) through inflammatory processes. This study examines the relationship between self-reported everyday discrimination (sED) and CVD.
Methods
Data from the multilingual and multimodal interview survey GEDA Fokus (11/2021-05/2022; n = 2,965; age 40-79) were analysed. Participants had an Italian, Croatian, Polish, Syrian, or Turkish citizenship. Poisson regressions were used to examine associations between sED and CVD, adjusting for gender, age, education, income, social support, sense of belonging to the society in Germany, self-reported German language proficiency, and obesity (BMI). CVD included self-reported diagnoses of heart attack, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and hypertension. Interaction effects with social support, sense of belonging, and German language proficiency were also analysed.
Results
Of participants, 35.3% reported at least one CVD diagnosis, and 34.9% reported experiencing everyday discrimination sometimes to very often. sED was associated with a higher prevalence of CVD (PR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.06-1.40). A lower sense of belonging (PR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.13-1.72) and obesity (PR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.29-1.80) was also correlated with CVD. Moderation analyses showed that individuals who experienced frequent discrimination, combined with lower sense of belonging or poorer German language proficiency, reported the highest prevalence of CVD.
Conclusion
Discrimination is an important determinant of CVD prevalence. A lower sense of belonging and poorer German language proficiency reinforce this statistical association. Strengthening psychosocial resources and promoting social inclusion, as well as raising awareness about the health consequences of discrimination, are crucial to reducing health inequalities and improving overall well-being.
