Experiences of Racial Discrimination: Qualitative Findings from Injured New Zealand Migrants

Racism is a recognised determinant of health internationally and in New Zealand (NZ). Racism is instantiated through racial discrimination, including discriminatory attitudes and practices. Associations between racial discrimination and unfavourable health-related experiences and outcomes have been reported for specific groups in NZ, including for Māori (the Indigenous people of NZ) and for those of Asian and Pacific ethnicities. However, less appears to be known about NZ migrants’ (those defined as non-NZ born) experiences of racial discrimination. This paper reports injured NZ migrants’ experiences of racial discrimination through qualitative analyses of free-text responses to a set of racism-related questions within the ‘Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study 10 Years On’ project. Participants reported experiences of racial discrimination in a range of contexts, including at work, in public, in housing-related contexts(in neighbourhoods and whilst seeking housing) and in health settings. Experiences comprised physical violence and intimidatingbehaviour, racially motivated verbal abuse, discrimination based on appearance or communication, stereotyping, and having their “NewZealand-ness” challenged. Reported impacts of racial discrimination included reduced work opportunities and feeling ‘othered.’ Migrants’ experiences of racial discrimination (across a range of contexts) are potentially underpinned by structural racism in NZsociety. This can affect migrants’ health and well-being through compromised socio-economic opportunities (and by corollary, reduced access to resources) and potentially, lower engagement with societal supports and services. We call for similar research internationally to investigate potential links between experiences and impacts of racial discrimination and future engagement with societal supports, including health and injury services.