Racial discrimination among university students and its implications for mental health
1
Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú, SOBRAL, Brazil
2
Instituto de Gestão e das Organizações da Saúde, Universidade Católica Portuguesa - Viseu, Viseeu, Portugal
3
Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Ceará - UECE, Fortaleza, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Racial discrimination, whether subtle or overt, remains a structural phenomenon within the Brazilian higher education context. Despite advances achieved through affirmative action policies, Black and Brown students continue to experience forms of exclusion that negatively affect their sense of belonging, academic performance, and psychological well-being. Such experiences constitute significant social determinants of health, contributing to processes of psychological distress and mental illness in higher education.
METHODS:
This descriptive, exploratory, and cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2023. A total of 829 students from five higher education institutions in the state of Ceará participated, including two public and three private institutions. Data collection was carried out both online and in person. Two validated instruments were used: the Racial Discrimination Experience Scale and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlation tests to identify associations between racial discrimination and mental health indicators.
RESULTS:
The findings revealed statistically significant correlations between racial discrimination and MHI-38 domains, including depression (r = -0.136; p < 0.001), psychological distress (r = -0.131; p < 0.001), and loss of emotional control (r = -0.122; p < 0.001). Higher levels of discrimination were associated with poorer mental health indicators. The university environment, although socially recognized as a space for inclusion and civic education, continues to reproduce practices of racial exclusion, negatively affecting self-esteem, sense of belonging, and the academic trajectories of Black and Brown students.
CONCLUSIONS:
It is concluded that racial discrimination negatively impacts the mental health of university students and is associated with increased depressive symptoms and psychological distress. The results underscore the urgent need for institutional antiracist policies, continuous psychosocial support actions, and strategies aimed at promoting racial equity, strengthening students’ sense of belonging, improving student retention, and advancing mental health in higher education.
Racial discrimination, whether subtle or overt, remains a structural phenomenon within the Brazilian higher education context. Despite advances achieved through affirmative action policies, Black and Brown students continue to experience forms of exclusion that negatively affect their sense of belonging, academic performance, and psychological well-being. Such experiences constitute significant social determinants of health, contributing to processes of psychological distress and mental illness in higher education.
METHODS:
This descriptive, exploratory, and cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2023. A total of 829 students from five higher education institutions in the state of Ceará participated, including two public and three private institutions. Data collection was carried out both online and in person. Two validated instruments were used: the Racial Discrimination Experience Scale and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlation tests to identify associations between racial discrimination and mental health indicators.
RESULTS:
The findings revealed statistically significant correlations between racial discrimination and MHI-38 domains, including depression (r = -0.136; p < 0.001), psychological distress (r = -0.131; p < 0.001), and loss of emotional control (r = -0.122; p < 0.001). Higher levels of discrimination were associated with poorer mental health indicators. The university environment, although socially recognized as a space for inclusion and civic education, continues to reproduce practices of racial exclusion, negatively affecting self-esteem, sense of belonging, and the academic trajectories of Black and Brown students.
CONCLUSIONS:
It is concluded that racial discrimination negatively impacts the mental health of university students and is associated with increased depressive symptoms and psychological distress. The results underscore the urgent need for institutional antiracist policies, continuous psychosocial support actions, and strategies aimed at promoting racial equity, strengthening students’ sense of belonging, improving student retention, and advancing mental health in higher education.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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