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Perceived Racial Discrimination and Pain Intensity/Disability Among Economically Disadvantaged Latinos in a Federally Qualified Health Center: The Role of Anxiety Sensitivity

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Abstract

The present study examined the role of anxiety sensitivity (AS; fear of the negative consequences of anxiety) in the relation between perceived racial discrimination and pain-related problems among Latinos seeking health services at a Federally Qualified Health Center. Participants included 145 adult Latinos (87.80% female, Mage = 38.07 years, SD = 11.98, and 96.2% reported Spanish as their first language). Results indicated that perceived racial discrimination was indirectly related to the pain intensity and pain disability through AS. These effects were evident above and beyond the variance accounted for by gender, age, marital status, educational status, employment status, years living in the United States, and number of axis I diagnoses. Overall, the present findings highlight the merit in focusing further scientific attention on the interplay between perceived racial discrimination and AS to better understand and inform interventions to reduce pain problems among Latinos in primary care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Jafar Bakhshaie, Andrew H. Rogers, Nubia A. Mayorga, Ana C. Ruiz, Andres G. Viana & Michael J. Zvolensky

  2. Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA

    Joseph Ditre

  3. Department of Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Rubén Rodríguez-Cano

  4. Legacy Community Health, Houston, TX, USA

    Monica Garza, Chad Lemaire & Melissa Ochoa-Perez

  5. Psychotherapeutic Area of “Asociación Ayuda”, Anxiety Disorders Clinic, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Daniel Bogiaizian

  6. Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Michael J. Zvolensky

  7. Department of Psychology, University of Houston, 3695 Cullen Blvd., Room 126, Houston, TX, 77204, USA

    Michael J. Zvolensky

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  1. Jafar Bakhshaie
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  2. Andrew H. Rogers
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Correspondence to Michael J. Zvolensky.

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Bakhshaie, J., Rogers, A.H., Mayorga, N.A. et al. Perceived Racial Discrimination and Pain Intensity/Disability Among Economically Disadvantaged Latinos in a Federally Qualified Health Center: The Role of Anxiety Sensitivity. J Immigrant Minority Health 21, 21–29 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0715-8

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