Bottom Line: Many southern California high school students report being concerned that discrimination is increasing in society and that concern appears to be associated with behavioral health problems a year later, including more frequent substance use and higher odds of depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. The authors of this survey study suggest public health attention and policy changes may be needed to address how public expressions of discrimination may affect adolescent health.
Authors: Adam M. Leventhal, Ph.D., of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and coauthors
Related Material: The editorial, "Structuring Research to Address Discrimination as a Factor in Child and Adolescent Health," by Nia Heard-Garris, M.D., M.Sc., of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Illinois, also is available on the For The Media website .
To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website .
(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.2022)
Editor's Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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JAMA Pediatrics