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Midlife adults who perceive high levels of workplace discrimination are more likely to experience increased psychological distress during long-term follow-up, reports a study in the October
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The study "expands understanding of workplace discrimination and mental health among the midlife population, who experience unique roles and life transitions," according to the report by Jian Li, MD, PhD, professor at the University of California Los Angeles and his team. The researchers analyzed data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study—an ongoing study of psychosocial and work-related factors affecting mental and physical health.
Workplace discrimination is defined as bias or prejudice at work based on personal characteristics such as gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, socioeconomic status, and disabilities. Psychological distress can be understood as the maladaptive emotional or physical response to a stressful situation encountered, causing a person discomfort and harm. High psychological distress has been associated with elevated risks of mental and physical health problems, along with increased work absences and healthcare costs.
At baseline, a national population-based sample of 1,546 employed, midlife adults (mean age 51 years) responded to validated scales regarding their experience of workplace discrimination and psychological distress levels. Nine years later, respondents completed a follow-up survey assessing psychological distress again.
Longitudinal data based on both the initial and follow-up assessments revealed that midlife workers with high workplace discrimination reported the highest levels of psychological distress. "High levels of workplace discrimination at baseline were significantly associated with increased psychological distress at follow-up," stated study coauthor Megan Guardiano, MS, RN. The association was slightly weakened after adjustment for demographic factors, socioeconomic status, and health behaviors.
The researchers note several implications of their study, highlighting the need for further studies in more diverse populations. In the meantime, the findings suggest organization-level measures to "actively prevent discrimination" may lead to improvement in workers' mental health. As remarked by lead author, Elizabeth Keller, PhD, RN,
"Making organizational changes in a commitment to diversity will in turn support the workability of their workforce by contributing towards decreased psychological distress."