Doctoral Dissertation Research: Skin Color, Culture, and Blood Pressure in Southeastern Puerto Rico

本项目将调查非洲裔人群中血压高于平均水平的因素。虽然人们通常认为这些人群中存在种族遗传因素，但该项目将评估可能导致高血压的社会和文化因素。较深的肤色通常与较低的社会和经济地位有关，这些因素会导致慢性压力和持续的高血压。研究人员将分离肤色作为表型和肤色作为波多黎各社会地位标准的影响，在波多黎各，“颜色”的社会归属（因此社会地位）不一定与表型种族一致。方法包括在波多黎各人样本中进行参与性观察、密集访谈和结构化启发技术。这项研究将有助于我们理解健康方面的“种族”和“文化”差异。

Abstract 0078793 Bernard/GravleeThis project will investigate the factors responsible for higher than average blood pressures among populations of African descent. While it is commonly assumed that there is a racial-genetic predisposition for high blood pressure among these groups, this project will evaluate social and cultural factors that may promote high blood pressure. Darker skin color is often associated with lower social and economic status, factors that promote chronic stress and sustained high blood pressure. The researcher will isolate the effects of skin color as a phenotype and skin color as a criterion of social status in Puerto Rico where social ascriptions of "color" (and thus social status) do not necessarily coincide with phenotypic race. Methods include participant observation, intensive interviewing and structured elicitation techniques among samples of Puerto Ricans. The study will contribute to our understanding of "racial" and "cultural" differences in health.