Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
The Effect of Everyday Discrimination on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity and Mental Health Outcomes
Authors' conclusion
In this diverse SLE cohort, discrimination was associated with greater patient-reported disease activity, pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety.
Study context
- Population
- Multiracial, multiethnic Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) cohort, California Lupus Epidemiology Study: Asian (31%), Black (10%), Hispanic (24%), White (34%)
- Participants
- 245 participants
- Exposure
- Higher vs lower everyday discrimination
- Outcome
- Associations between discrimination (EDS) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs): SLAQ, Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference and Fatigue, PHQ-8, GAD-7
Methodological detailsmultivariable linear regression, mediation analyses
- Multivariable linear regression
- Mediation analyses
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Higher discrimination and PROs (multivariable models)
- Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ), β
- 0.25 (P < 0.001)
- Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), β
- 0.21 (P < 0.001)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), β
- 0.27 (P < 0.001)
- Pain, β
- 0.24 (P = 0.01)
- Fatigue, β
- 0.30 (P = 0.007)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) scores by race and ethnicity
- EDS scores highest among Black and Asian participants
Discrimination and SLAQ by racial and ethnic subgroups
- Discrimination significantly associated with higher SLAQ among Black and Asian participants
Mediation by depression or anxiety
- Discrimination no longer significantly associated with SLAQ, pain or fatigue after adjusting for PHQ-8 or GAD-7
Original publication
The Effect of Everyday Discrimination on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity and Mental Health Outcomes. J Rheumatol. Published 15 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →