Discrimination not only harms health but also strains relationship!

New York: Discrimination not only harms your health but it also effects your partner or spouse's health and well-being.

It is found that when an individual faces discrimination, whether because of race, age, gender or other factors, they report health issues and depression.

Harmful effects of discrimination on health occurs because it is damaging the relationships.

"When one partner experiences discrimination, they bring that stress home with them and it strains the relationship. So this stress not only negatively affects their own health, but their partner's as well," said William Chopik, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the US.

For the study, the researchers analysed a sample of nearly 2,000 couples in the US ranging in age from 50 to 94.

The participants reported on incidents of discrimination, as well as on their health, depression and relationship strain and closeness.

It didn't matter where the discrimination came from, Chopik said.

"What matters is that they felt that they were unfairly treated. That's what had the biggest impact on the person's health," he added.

And that discrimination had a spillover affect on the person's spouse or partner.

Because people are embedded in relationships, what happens in those relationships affects our health and well-being, Chopik said.