Minority Health and Health Equity Archive
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/21769
Welcome to the Minority Health and Health Equity Archive (MHHEA), an electronic archive for digital resource materials in the fields of minority health and health disparities research and policy. It is offered as a no-charge resource to the public, academic scholars and health science researchers interested in the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities.
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Item Association of depressive symptoms and social support on blood pressure among urban African American women and girls(2010) Wu, Chun Yi; Prosser, Rachel A.; Taylor, Jacquelyn Y.PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between depressive symptoms and perceived social support on blood pressure in African American women. DATA SOURCES: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 159 African American women from multiple sites in the Detroit Metro area. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study found that both higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure were positively associated with higher depressive symptom scores (r= .20 and .18, p < .05). Higher depressive symptoms scores were, in turn, significantly associated with lower social support scores (r=-.44, p < .001). However, total social support scores were not significantly correlated with blood pressure readings. Higher depressive symptom scores were associated with increased systolic blood pressure independent of social support. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings of the present study suggest the importance of appropriate social support to help alleviate depressive symptoms. However, to effectively control blood pressure in patients with depressive symptoms, other pathophysiologic mechanisms between depressive symptoms and elevated blood pressures independent of social support should be examined in future research. Future studies should consider a cohort design to examine the temporal relationship of depressive symptoms, social support, and blood pressure readings.Item Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN)(2004) Bromberger, Joyce T.; Harlow, Sioban; Avis, Nancy; Kravitz, Howard M.; Cordal, AdrianaObjectives. We examined racial/ethnic differences in significant depressive symptoms among middle-aged women before and after adjustment for socioeconomic, health-related, and psychosocial characteristics. Methods. Racial/ethnic differences in unadjusted and adjusted prevalence of significant depressive symptoms (score ≥16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression [CES-D] Scale) were assessed with univariate and multiple logistic regressions. Results. Twenty-four percent of the sample had a CES-D score of 16 or higher. Unadjusted prevalence varied by race/ethnicity (P<.0001). After adjustment for covariates, racial/ethnic differences overall were no longer significant. Conclusions. Hispanic and African American women had the highest odds, and Chinese and Japanese women had the lowest odds, for a CES D score of 16 or higher. This variation is in part because of health-related and psychosocial factors that are linked to socioeconomic status.Item Depressive Symptoms, Race, and Glucose Concentrations(2007) BOYLE, STEPHEN H.; SURWIT, RICHARD S.; GEORGIADES, ANASTASIA; BRUMMETT, BEVERLY H.; HELMS, MICHAEL J.; WILLIAMS, REDFORD B.; BAREFOOT, JOHN C.OBJECTIVE— This study examined the associations of depressive symptoms with glucose concentrations and morning cortisol levels in 665 African-American and 4,216 Caucasian Vietnam- era veterans. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— Glucose level was measured as a three-level variable (diabetes, impaired glucose, and normal). Depressive symptoms were measured by the Obvious Depression Scale (OBD) from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. RESULTS— Regression models showed significant race OBD interactions in relation to glucose concentration (P 0.0001) and cortisol (P 0.0001). The OBD was positively associated with glucose concentration and cortisol in both racial groups. However, the magnitude of those associations was larger for African Americans. Further analyses suggested that cortisol partially mediated the race difference in the relation of depressive symptoms to glucose concentrations. CONCLUSIONS— These results suggest that enhanced hypothalamic pituitary adrenal activity plays an important role in the relation of depressive symptoms to dysregulated glucose metabolism and may partially explain the differential effects of depressive symptoms on glucose levels in African-American and Caucasian male subjects.Item A Prospective Study of Psychological Distress and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Black Adolescent Females(2001) DiClemente, Ralph; Wingood, Gina; Crosby, Richard; Sionean, Catlainn; Brown, Larry; Rothbaum, Barbara; Zimand, Elana; Cobb, Brenda; Harrington, Kathy; Davies, SusanABSTRACT. Objective. The purpose of the study was to examine the association between adolescents’ psychological distress and their sexually transmitted disease/ human immunodeficiency virus (STD/HIV)-associated sexual behaviors and attitudes. Method. Sexually active black adolescent females (N 522) completed, at baseline and again 6 months later, a self-administered questionnaire that assessed sexual health attitudes and emotional distress symptoms (using standardized measures, .84), a structured interview that assessed STD/HIV-associated sexual risk behaviors, and a urine screen for pregnancy. Results. In multivariate analyses, controlling for observed covariates, adolescents with significant distress at baseline were more likely than their peers, after 6 months, to be pregnant (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.0), have had unprotected vaginal sex (AOR 2.1), have nonmonogamous sex partners (AOR 1.7), and not use any form of contraception (AOR 1.5). Additionally, they were also more likely to: perceive barriers to condom use (AOR 2.2), be fearful of the adverse consequences of negotiating condom use (AOR 2.0), perceive less control in their relationship (AOR 2.0), have experienced dating violence (AOR 2.4), feel less efficacious in negotiating condom use with a new sex partner (AOR 1.6), and have norms nonsupportive of a healthy sexual relationship (AOR 1.7). Discussion. The findings suggest that psychological distress is predictive over a 6-month period of a spectrum of STD/HIV-associated sexual behaviors and high-risk attitudes. Brief screening to detect distress or depressive symptoms among adolescent females can alert the clinician to the need to conduct a sexual health history, initiate STD/HIV-preventive counseling, and refer for comprehensive psychological assessment and appropriate treatment. Among adolescents receiving STD treatment,those with even moderate emotional distress may be at heightened risk for further unhealthy outcomes. STD/ HIV interventions should also consider psychological distress as one potential risk factor that may impact program efficacy.Item Disease Status in African American Single Mothers With HIV: The Role of Depressive Symptoms(2001) Jones, Deborah J; Breach, Steven R H; Forehand, Rex; Family Health Project, Research GroupThe association between depressive symptoms and 2 meaasures of HIV disease status in 73 African American single mothers was examined. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that clinician-rated depressive symptoms predicted subjective, but not objective, parameters of disease status 12 to 14 months later. More symptoms of depression at the 1st assessment predicted an increase in physical complaints over the course of the study. Results suggest that researchers and clinicians interested in enhancing quality of life among African American single mothers with HIV infection, an understudied population within the HIV-AIDS literature, should consider both subjective and objective measures of the disease.