Racial discrimination and mental health

Racism is a complex phenomenon with a number of different impacts on individuals and their communities. These individual, group and community effects may increase the risk of mental distress and mental illness. Perceived interpersonal racial discrimination has been associated in epidemiological studies with higher rates of common mental disorders and more recently with higher rates of psychosis. Initial cross-sectional work has been supplemented by a longitudinal study which demonstrates that victims of discrimination are at an increased risk of developing a psychosis.