Examining Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Coping and Stress Within an Environmental Riskscape

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Research on racial/ethnic disparities in stress and coping is limited.
• Existing studies often use small samples, single-item measures, and exclude Mexican Americans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address gaps in research on stress and coping among diverse racial/ethnic groups.
• To investigate racial/ethnic differences in coping strategies and their association with perceived stress.
• To include Mexican Americans (US-born and foreign-born) in stress and coping research.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Texas City Stress and Health Study, a cross-sectional sample.
• Inclusion of Black (N=257), White (N=304), US-born Mexican Americans (N=689), and foreign-born Mexican Americans (N=749).
• Comparison of active and avoidant coping by race/ethnicity and multivariable analysis of coping and perceived stress.

Main Results:

• Black and foreign-born Mexican Americans reported the highest stressor exposure.
• Different patterns of coping and perceived stress were observed between Black and foreign-born Mexican Americans.
• Active coping showed potential benefits for African Americans but did not eliminate stress disparities.

Conclusions:

• Active coping may be more effective for African Americans, but stress disparities persist.
• The lack of association between coping and stress in Mexican Americans highlights the need for culturally specific research.
• Further investigation into diverse coping experiences within Mexican American communities is warranted.