Discrimination, Social Cognitive Processes, and CVD Risk among African American Women

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality disparities have persisted among African American women despite advances in evidence-based strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. African American women often report discrimination-related stress, warranting continued exploration of the mechanisms that link to discrimination to cardiovascular disease. Thus, the long-term research goal is to reduce cardiovascular disease among African American women by elucidating and targeting unique psychophysiological correlates of cardiovascular disease in this population. The overall objective of the pilot project is to examine the overall feasibility of a research protocol to examine associations between discrimination, social cognitive processes, and CVD risk using ecological momentary assessment [EMA] to account for ecological variability and reduce recall bias. The central study hypothesis posits that African American women’s long-term experiences of discrimination contribute to maladaptive schemas and cognitive appraisal that heighten perceived discrimination events. Frequent experiences of discrimination elicit recurrent emotional and physiological stress responses that over time contribute to sustained physiological dysregulation. The study seeks to examine these associations in a sample of 90 African American women aged 18 years and older by accomplishing the following aims: Aim 1. Examine cross-sectional associations between discrimination (e.g., racial, gender), social cognitive processes (e.g., early maladaptive schemas, cognitive appraisal), negative emotion, and sustained physiological dysregulation (allostatic load, telomere length). Aim 2: Examine longitudinal associations (7-days) between discrimination, social cognitive processes, and emotional and physiological reactivity using EMA. The overarching goal of this SC-2 application is to promote the applicant’s long-term NIH research involvement by supporting: a) mentored minority faculty research enhancement and b) training and research productivity in EMA and psychophysiological research methodology. This innovative program of research, building on the applicants’ current training and research expertise, will further elucidate discrimination-related cardiovascular disease risk factors and methodology that accounts for ecological variability among African American women. Findings from this research program have the potential better to inform cardiovascular disease risk prevention strategies among African American women.