American Psychological Association. (2021, March 11). Hispanic adults most likely to physical impacts of stress; Black Americans concerned about life after pandemic. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2021/one-year-pandemic-stress-people-of-color
Stress related to the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color.
When asked to rate their stress over the last year related to the coronavirus pandemic, Hispanic adults reported an average stress level of 6.1 (on a scale where 1 means “little or no stress” and 10 means “a great deal of stress”). This is higher than the average levels reported by white (5.3), Black (5.3) and Asian (5.2) adults.
When it comes to support, nearly 2 in 3 Black (66%) and Hispanic (65%) adults said they could have used more emotional support than they received since the pandemic started, compared with 55% of white and 50% of Asian adults who said the same.
Hispanic adults were most likely to report undesired changes to sleep (78% Hispanic vs. 76% Black, 63% white and 61% Asian), physical activity levels (87% Hispanic vs. 84% Black, 81% Asian and 79% white) and weight (71% Hispanic vs. 64% Black, 58% white and 54% Asian) since the pandemic began.
Among those who gained more weight than desired since the pandemic started, Black adults reported an average of 35 pounds gained (median of 15 pounds), white adults reported an average of 30 pounds (median of 15 pounds), Hispanic adults reported an average of 28 pounds (median of 10 pounds) and Asian adults reported an average of 12 pounds (median of 8 pounds).
Stress about the future is also having a disproportionate impact on communities of color. Black Americans were most likely to report feelings of concern about the future. More than half said they do not feel comfortable going back to living life like they used to before the pandemic (54% vs. 48% Hispanic, 45% Asian and 44% white) and that they feel uneasy about adjusting to in-person interaction once the pandemic ends (57% vs. 51% Asian, 50% Hispanic and 47% white).
How people of color can build resilience
- Feelings of stress, anger, outrage, and frustration, or a host of other emotions because of systemic injustice, are expected. Acknowledge those feelings and do what you can to take care of yourself as you continue to cope and manage in today’s reality.
- Participate in culturally affirming activities and continue to share experiences even if in-person gatherings are not possible. These activities will help you stay connected to your community.
- Limit exposure to news media and video of people being assaulted, harassed, or killed by law enforcement or other groups. For many people of color, watching these videos can cause trauma or trigger other negative emotions. This is particularly true for young people of color.
