The lasting echoes of that trauma left Lawrence not at all surprised by a new study linking racism in the United States to an elevated risk of high blood pressure among Black Americans.
Blacks who endure life-altering instances of discrimination are a third to a half more likely to develop high blood pressure than those who haven't been similarly traumatized, researchers report in the July 1 issue of the journal Hypertension.
Blacks who reported medium levels of lifetime discrimination had a 49% increased risk of high blood pressure after accounting for other risk factors, the researchers found.
In fact, the effect of racism on Black Americans' heart health might be even greater than reported in this study, since the results accounted for blood pressure risk factors that could themselves be heightened by discrimination, the researchers noted.
It also demonstrates the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and other efforts aimed at ending racism and discrimination in the United States, Lawrence said.
