*5.1. Perceived Discrimination and Health: A Meta-Analytic Review*

In their meta-analytic review, Pascoe and Smart Richman (2009) focus on perceived discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, and other identities rather than racism exclusively. Racism was found to be the most common type of perceived discrimination, appearing in 65% of all articles in their literature search [28]. The authors define discrimination as "a behavioural manifestation of a negative attitude, judgment, or unfair treatment toward members of a [28] (p. 3)", which is consistent with the description presented above by Dovidio, Gaertner, and Kawakami (2010). A total of 134 articles supported their hypothesis that perceived discrimination is associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes. (Pascoe and Smart Richman 2009) Discrimination, in particular, is associated with "heightened physiological stress responses, more negative psychological stress responses, increased participation in unhealthy behaviours, and decreased participation in healthy behaviours [28] (p. 20)".
