The impact of everyday racism on the occupations of African Canadian women

Background. Occupational therapy has increasingly explored the impact of cultural differences on occupations but has not yet begun to explore the impact of racism on human occupation. Purpose. This study with 50 African Canadian women used mixed methods to explore the effects of racism on their occupational experiences. Methods. Women aged 40-65 were interviewed in-depth about everyday experiences with racism and overall well-being. Three standardized instruments assessed frequency and stressfulness of race-related experiences. Findings. Everyday racism had subtle, almost intangible, impacts, shaping women's engagement with and the meaning of leisure, productive, and caring occupations. Implications. As occupational therapy increasingly attends to issues of cultural difference, it is critical to also attend to racism. This means learning to ask thoughtful questions about how racism may shape clients' occupations. Attention to this aspect of the social environment will enhance practice with African-heritage clients and clients from other racial minority groups.