Final answer:
True, perceived discrimination has been shown to negatively affect mental and physical health, acting as a chronic stressor that can lead to serious health issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that even perceived discrimination can produce negative mental and physical health outcomes is true. Discrimination acts as a chronic stressor, contributing to mental health issues such as depression and physical health problems like cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that repeated experiences of discrimination increase stress reactivity in individuals, leading to an accumulation of stress responses that damage both mental and physical health over time.
Social support and healthy coping mechanisms can mitigate the impact of discrimination, although they cannot completely nullify its effects. More significant interventions, such as the enactment of antidiscrimination legislation, are necessary to protect vulnerable groups from the damaging health impacts of discrimination.