Lifetime Major Discrimination Experiences Moderate the Impact of Depressive Symptoms on Chronic Conditions among Black Americans

Healthcare

卷:9

Millicent N. Robinson¹  Courtney S. Thomas Tobin¹  Quenette L. Walton²  Kia Skrine Jeffers³ 

[1] Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E. Young Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;

[2] Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, 3511 Cullen Blvd., Houston, TX 77204-4013, USA;

[3] School of Nursing, University of California, 700 Tiverton Ave., Box 956918, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;

关键词: lifetime major discrimination;    depressive symptoms;    chronic conditions;    Black Americans;    structural racism;    depression;   

DOI  :  10.3390/healthcare9111528

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

To clarify the ways in which Black Americans’ experiences of structural racism may influence their mental and physical health in distinct ways, the present study evaluated whether major discrimination moderates the association between depressive symptoms and chronic physical health conditions among this population. t-tests and chi-squared tests of significance were used to determine significant differences between women and men. The association between major discrimination and depressive symptoms was examined by assessing mean depressive symptoms scores across levels of major discrimination. ANOVA tests indicated whether there were significant differences in symptom scores across each discrimination category. Additional t-tests determined significant gender differences within each level of discrimination. Gender-stratified negative binomial models were used, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for the relationship between depressive symptoms, major discrimination, and chronic conditions. Our findings indicated that the association between depressive symptoms and chronic conditions depends on lifetime experiences of major discrimination among Black Americans and varies significantly between women and men. Considering that major discrimination conditioned the depressive symptom-chronic conditions association among our sample, this provides insight into potential pathways for intervention in efforts to offset the detrimental mental and physical consequences of experiencing racism.

【 授权许可】

Unknown