Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Gary `. Burkholder

Abstract

While asthma prevalence in the United States is generally declining, African Americans tend to experience poorer outcomes regarding asthma severity and control. The purpose of the present study was to test whether discrimination (everyday and lifetime) moderated the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control (dyspnea and peak flow). In previous literature, researchers established the relationship between allostatic load and asthma severity/asthma control among African Americans. The biopsychosocial model and allostatic load theory served as the theoretical frameworks for this study. In this cross-sectional, nonexperimental, quantitative design, 201 African Americans between the ages of 34 and 82 years were selected from a larger sample of participants of the Midlife Development in the United States. The MIDUS studies were designed to examine physical and psychological predictors of midlife development. Multiple regression analysis using the PROCESS macro for SPSS was utilized to test the four hypotheses. One research question guided the research does everyday and lifetime discrimination moderate the relationship between allostatic load and asthma control? (Utilizing peak flow readings and dyspnea levels). The findings indicated one model was statistically significant. Everyday discrimination was found to moderate the relationship between allostatic load and levels of dyspnea; no other model was statistically significant. Results suggest that chronic exposure to discrimination can increase allostatic load, resulting in chronic diseases. These chronic diseases include heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Implications for positive social change include encouraging physicians to take a holistic approach to treat diseases, especially when treating minority patients who experience discrimination.

Download

Share

 
COinS