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

Thumbnail Image

Files

Mair_Coping_accepted.pdf (370.22 KB)

Links to Files

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-023-01458-5

Permanent Link

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-023-01458-5
 http://hdl.handle.net/11603/31295

Collections

UMBC Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health Department
UMBC Faculty Collection
UMBC Gerontology Program

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8813-6532

Date

2023-02-17

Type of Work

journal articles
postprints
Text

Department

Program

Citation of Original Publication

Mair, Christine A., M. Kristen Peek, Richard B. Slatcher, and Malcolm P. Cutchin. “Examining Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Coping and Stress Within an Environmental Riskscape.” Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 25, no. 5 (October 1, 2023): 1033–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-023-01458-5.

Rights

This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-023-01458-5
Access to this item will begin on 02/17/2024

Subjects

Abstract

Existing research on racial/ethnic differences in stress and coping is limited by small samples, single-item measures, and lack of inclusion of Mexican Americans. We address these gaps by analyzing data from the Texas City Stress and Health Study, a cross-sectional sample of Black (N = 257), White (N = 304), US-born (N = 689), and foreign-born (N = 749) Mexican Americans residing in proximity to a petrochemical complex. We compared active and avoidant coping by race/ethnicity and explored multivariable associations between coping and perceived stress. Black and foreign-born Mexican American respondents had the highest stressor exposure yet displayed different patterns of coping and perceived stress patterns. Active coping may be particularly effective for African Americans but may not offset extreme stress disparities. For Mexican Americans, the lack of association between coping and stress underscores the need for more work focused on the culturally diverse coping experiences.