Racial discrimination is linked to increased inflammation for Black American women with lupus, according to a newly released study.
Published in the scientific journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, the study examined the information of 380 Black women living in Atlanta with systemic lupus erythematosus, an immune system disease that flares up and attacks the body’s own tissues.
Titled as part of the “Black Women’s Experiences Living With Lupus Study,” otherwise known as the “BeWELL Study,” researchers measured the bodies’ C-reactive protein, otherwise known as the body’s CRP level, and recorded experiences of discrimination bi-annually using the short self-report known as the Experiences of Discrimination method.
Over the course of two years, from April 2014 to May 2017, the participants recorded a significant increase in the C-reactive protein when they were racially discriminated against. Made by the liver, the presence of the protein marked an increase in inflammation in the body.
According to the new study, researchers found a significant increase in the levels, with participants marking an approximate four percent increase in CRP levels when faced with racial discrimination.
According to study author and rheumatologist Dr. Tamika Webb-Detiege, the results of the study are supportive of previous studies that have highlighted the role of racial inequities on the development and worsening of diseases.
“This study contributes to the growing body of evidence on the biological consequences of racial discrimination,” said Dr. Tamika Webb-Detiege in a press release. “Understanding how racial discrimination compromises health and inflammatory pathways is crucial in our pursuit of more equitable and just outcomes for our communities.”
Overall, lupus is a common condition that affects approximately 1.5 million Americans, according to the nonprofit Lupus Foundation of America. While men, children and teenagers are also affected by the disease, lupus is mostly common amongst women from ages 15 to 44 as 90% of the patients diagnosed with lupus are women in this age range.
Of all racial and ethnic groups, Black women are most likely to develop lupus. Although all BIPOC patients are two to three times more likely to get lupus, Black women are most affected, as one in 537 young Black women living in the U.S. develop the disease.
In general, they’re also more likely to be diagnosed with lupus at younger ages and are more likely to pass away prematurely as a result of the disease when compared to other groups.
With the release of the new study, researchers are advocating for mandatory change.
“The results of this study contribute to a growing body of evidence indicating that racial discrimination is a toxic health threat and that the embodiment of racial discrimination is one pathway through which racism contributes to inequitable health outcomes for Black Americans,” wrote the researchers. “Policies and laws aimed at eliminating contemporary and persistent forms of racial discrimination are likely to advance health equity for Black women with SLE, as well as Black Americans more broadly.”
