The recent trends in discrimination and health among ethnic minority adolescents: an integrative review

Abstract

Background: Experiences of racial discrimination during adolescence can negatively affect lifelong health. Although many ethnic minority adolescents face discrimination in common worldwide, there are few updated review studies that explored how discrimination affected health status and behavior among ethnic minority adolescents.

Methods: Comprehensive searches of the PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were conducted, integrating keywords about adolescent, ethnic groups, discrimination, and health. The search encompassed articles published between January 2016 and March 2021, following Whittemore and Knafl's integrative literature review method. Quality appraisal was evaluated by the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool.

Results: After conducting the initial screening of 167 studies, eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. More than 80% of the studies were conducted African-American/Black adolescents in the United States. There were clear associations between group discrimination and mental health problems. Discrimination was also linked to the low overall health, high substance use, high emotional eating, and high behavioral problems, and low ethnic identity. Of the six studies investigating gender differences, two each reported that discrimination was linked to higher substance use in boys and stronger internalizing symptoms in girls.

Conclusion: This integrative review provides insights into the discrimination experiences of ethnic minority adolescents, with particular implications for mental health, overall health, substance use, and behavioral problems. This review contributes evidence for need of integrative health promotion programs to mitigate racial discrimination against ethnic minority adolescents for health equity.