Ethno-racial disparities in psychosis-like experiences among students in higher education: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study 2020-2021

BACKGROUND Ethno-racial variations of psychosis-like experiences exist in the general population; however, it is unknown whether this variation exists among emerging adults in higher education, and whether there are differences across ethnic groups within racial categories. METHODS Using the Health Minds Study data from 2020-2021, we used multivariable logistic regression models to examine race/ethnicity and psychosis-like experiences, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, international student status). We then adjusted for food insecurity, parental education, social belonging, and cannabis use. RESULTS Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Multiracial, and American Indian/Alaska Native students had greater odds of 12-month psychosis-like experiences when compared with white students. These associations attenuated and were no longer statistically significant for Black and Hispanic/Latinx students after adjusting for food insecurity and parental education. Multiracial and American Indian/Alaska Native students still had greater odds of psychosis-like experiences after further adjusting for sense of belonging. When looking at ethnic subgroups, Filipinx and multi-ethnic Asian students had significantly greater odds than East Asian students, and multi-ethnic Black students had greater odds than African Americans. CONCLUSION Variations in psychosis risk exists across and within ethno-racial categories among emerging adults in higher education. Future research may explore psychosis as a disparity impacting Native American/Alaska Native and multiracial/multi-ethnic populations.