Examining the Measurement of Race and Ethnicity to Inform a Model of Sociocultural Stress and Adaptive Coping.

This study examines how measurement of race and ethnicity helps to inform a sociocultural model of stress and coping among Black Americans. First, this study attempts to establish a deeper appreciation for the precise measurement of Black Americans’ interpretations of their racial and ethnic identity through a self identified conceptualization of social identity. Additionally, the current study aims to further understanding about the complexities of Black Americans’ experience with racial discrimination and the subsequent mental health consequences; particularly how self identified notions of their race and ethnicity, via the constructs of racial and ethnic identity, relate to adaptive coping with interpersonal experiences of perceived racial discrimination. This study recognizes racial and ethnic identity as unique sociocultural resources that Black Americans may use to modify detrimental lifetime exposure to racially attributed discrimination, by increasing relevant healthy coping methods and reducing subsequent depressive symptom expression. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of both racial and ethnic identity constructs indicated significant conceptual differences in the meaning African Americans and African Caribbeans relate to their race and ethnicity. Additionally, a developed conceptual model of racialized stress and coping was tested, showing evidence of racial and ethnic identity’s ability to mediate the relationship between discrimination, relevant coping and depressive symptoms. Increased racial centrality, lower public regard, and positive intraracial ethnic attitudes were related to coping strategies that lower depressive symptoms for African Americans. Importantly the results indicate acceptance of racial discrimination as the most adaptive (healthy) relevant coping strategy for African Americans in the context of depressive symptoms. Utilizing structural equation modeling, the findings from this study’s tests of a theoretically informed model of racialized stress and coping show that: racial centrality, public regard and intraracial ethnic group attitudes offer psychological benefits that mitigate the negative impact of discrimination on mental health outcomes; point to the need for more self determined conceptual measurement of race and ethnicity within health disparities research; and help to further understand the distinct contributions race and ethnicity can offer to inform health disparities research literature, specifically conceptual models of sociocultural stress and adaptive coping.Ph.D.Health Behavior & Health EducationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/58500/1/rnjai_1.pd

Characteristics of marijuana use during pregnancy - eight states, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2017.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance under federal law in the United States (1); however, many states have legalized medical and adult nonmedical use. Evidence regarding the safety and health effects of cannabis use during pregnancy is largely inconclusive (2). Potential adverse health effects to exposed infants (e.g., lower birthweight) have been documented (2). To provide population-based estimates of use surrounding pregnancy, identify reasons for and mode of use, and understand characteristics of women who continue versus cease marijuana use during pregnancy, CDC analyzed data from eight states participating in the 2017 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) marijuana supplement. Overall, 9.8% of women self-reported marijuana use before pregnancy, 4.2% during pregnancy, and 5.5% after pregnancy. The most common reasons for use during pregnancy were to relieve stress or anxiety, nausea or vomiting, and pain. Smoking was the most common mode of use. In multivariable models that included age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, insurance status, parity, trimester of entry into prenatal care, and cigarette and e-cigarette use during pregnancy, women who continued versus ceased marijuana use during pregnancy were more likely to be non-Hispanic white or other race/ethnicity than non-Hispanic black, be unmarried, have ≤12 years of education, and use cigarettes during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend refraining from marijuana use during pregnancy and lactation (3,4). Given the increasing number of states legalizing medical and adult nonmedical marijuana use, surveillance of perinatal marijuana use can inform clinical guidance, provider and patient education, and public health programs to support evidence-based approaches to addressing substance use

Household caregiver and teacher responses to school dismissal survey^* on knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding pH1N1.

<p>* Schools selected randomly (irrespective of size) from each of the eight public health preparedness regions in Michigan, United States.</p>†<p>Households attending dismissed schools.</p>‡<p>Pearson's Chi-square test was used to compare differences between caregivers and teachers.</p><p>Differences were considered statistically significant if p<0.05.</p

Demographics of residents hospitalized with 2009 influenza (A) H1N1 in Illinois, April–December, 2009.

a<p>Percentages might total more than 100 because of rounding.</p>b<p>Interquartile range.</p>c<p>Intensive care unit.</p

Household caregiver and teacher responses to selected items from school dismissal survey on nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) by school dismissal Status in fall 2009^*, from 48 elementary schools^†, Michigan, USA.

<p>* Schools selected randomly (irrespective of size) from each of the eight public health preparedness regions in Michigan.</p>†<p>Of the 48 schools included in the survey, 13 were reactively dismissed due to student/teacher absenteeism and 35 remained open during the fall 2009.</p>‡<p>p-Values are calculated based on Pearson's Chi-square test.</p><p>Differences were considered statistically significant if p<0.0022.</p