Physical Fitness and Depressive Symptoms during Army Basic Combat Training

Mental health-related problems are a significant cause of attrition during Basic Combat Training (BCT). Evidence in civilian populations suggests that physical fitness is associated with psychological benefits in civilians, but little is known about the association between physical fitness and psychological adjustment during BCT

Factors influencing the accumulation of recommended physical activity among Latinos in the deep south of the United States

Less than 40% of the U.S. population achieves the recommended amount of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine [ACSM (>150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity or equivalent vigorous-intensity LTPA)]. The number of Hispanic/Latino men and women who report being physically inactive is disproportionately higher than non-Hispanic/Latinos. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate factors which influence the achievement of meeting ACSM recommendations for LTPA among adults with Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and whites (non-Hispanic/Latino) in the southern United States. Self-reported data collected as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) was analyzed in male and female Hispanic/Latinos and non-Hispanic/Latino whites using the Andersen Model and Chi Square Analysis to examine the association between variables. Hispanic/Latino men/women were significantly less likely to meet the ACSM recommendations (> 150 minutes/week) compared to non-Hispanic/Latinos. Lower amounts of income, education, and access to health care were all significant factors of whether Hispanic/Latinos in the Deep South achieved the ACSM recommendations for LTPA. Although the percentage of overweight Hispanic/ Latinos was considerably higher than White (non-Hispanic/Latino), reported obesity was highest among Whites (non-Hispanic/Latino). LTPA between the two groups differed significantly, suggesting that not achieving the physical activity recommendations is associated with being overweight, but other factors may also contribute to being overweight and obesity.Menos del 40% de la población de los Estados Unidos cumple con la cantidad de actividad física de tiempo libre (AFTL) recomendada por el Colegio Americano de Medicina Deportiva [ACSM (> 150 minutos/semana de AFTL de intensidad moderada o su equivalente de intensidad vigorosa)]. La cantidad de hombres y mujeres hispanos o latinos que reportan ser físicamente inactivos es desproporcionadamente mayor que quienes no lo son. El propósito de esta investigación es evaluar los factores que pueden influir en alcanzar las recomendaciones del ACSM para AFTL en adultos de origen étnico hispano o latino y en caucásicos (que no son hispanos o latinos) en la región Sur de los Estados Unidos. Se recolectaron datos de cuestionarios autoadministrados que son parte del Sistema de Vigilancia de Factores de Riesgo del Comportamiento (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, BRFSS), los cuales se analizaron en hombres y mujeres hispanos o latinos y en caucásicos que no lo eran, por medio del Modelo de Andersen y pruebas de Chi cuadrado para examinar la asociación entre variables. Se encontró que los hombres y las mujeres latinos tenían una menor probabilidad de cumplir con las recomendaciones del ACSM (> 150 minutos/semana) en comparación con quienes no eran hispanos o latinos. Menores ingresos económicos, educación y acceso a los servicios de salud fueron factores significativos que condicionaban si los hispanos o latinos en el extremo Sur lograban las recomendaciones del ACSM para AFTL. Aunque el porcentaje de hispanos o latinos con sobrepeso fue considerablemente mayor que los caucásicos (no hispanos o latinos), la obesidad reportada fue mayor entre los caucásicos (no hispanos o latinos). La AFTL entre los dos grupos fue estadísticamente diferente, lo cual sugiere que no alcanzar las recomendaciones de actividad física se asocia con tener sobrepeso; sin embargo, otros factores también pueden contribuir en tener sobrepeso y obesidad

Psychological Distress and Health Insurance Coverage among Formerly Incarcerated Young Adults in the United States

The United States incarcerates more people per capita than any other nation. Studies have consistently demonstrated higher prevalence of serious mental illness among the incarcerated. Although health care may be available to individuals while incarcerated, research is needed to understand the context of health care coverage and mental health after incarceration. The purpose of this study is to estimate the point prevalence of psychological distress (PD) among young adults with incarceration experience, while comparing the prevalence to that of young adults in the general population. Additionally, this study characterizes the relationship between incarceration experience and PD, while also examining this association given an individual's health insurance coverage status among young adults. Lastly, we examine if other individual, contextual, and behavioral factors influences the relationship between incarceration experience and PD, in addition to their health insurance coverage status. This study utilizes data from the 2008 panel of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 97, a population based survey dataset from the U.S. Department of Labor. Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use provided the conceptual framework for the study. The Mental Health Index 5 (MHI-5) was used to determine PD or normal mental health. Chi-square testing and multivariate logistic regression were performed to examine incarceration experience in association to PD. The sample with incarceration experience reported almost double the proportion of PD (21%) compared to those without an incarceration experience (11%). Young adults who have been incarcerated reported greater odds of PD than those with no incarceration experience (COR 2.18; 95% CI, 1.68-2.83) and the association was diminished in the presence of health insurance status and model covariates. Future health prevention and health management efforts should consider the impact of health insurance coverage status, health behaviors, and life satisfaction on mental health status among young adults with incarceration experience

The Association of Emotional and Physical Reactions to Perceived Discrimination with Depressive Symptoms Among African American Men in the Southeast

This study examines the association of emotional and physical reactions to perceived discrimination with depressive symptoms among a sample of African American (AA) men in the southeastern United States. Analysis of the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data set provides an examination of demographic, perceived discrimination context, and health status differences in depressive symptoms measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire—2 (PHQ-2). The analysis also assesses individual differences among AA men related to experiencing physical symptoms and feeling emotionally upset due to perceived discrimination. A focused examination investigates the role of adverse reactions to perceived discrimination in association with depressive symptomology. Findings illuminate the significance of experiences of and reactions to perceived discrimination in relationship with depressive symptomology among AA men living in the southeastern United States. Findings also demonstrate the need for additional research focusing on perceived discrimination experiences in relation to depressive symptoms experienced among the AA male subgroup. Continued investigation of within-group differences among AA men, with health promotional strategies to foster social-emotional support, will further the improvement in health and wellness for AA men

The Association between Social Determinants of Health and Depressive Disorders: A 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Analysis

Background: Major Depressive Disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide and one of the most common disorders in the United States. Contributors to an individual’s risk for experiencing depressive disorders include individual and social factors. Although the social determinants of health (SDOH) are conditions that contribute to healthy functioning, health outcomes, and quality of life, it is unclear to what extent adverse SDOH experiences are associated with self-reporting depressive disorder (DD). Methods: Data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a population-based telephone survey of noninstitutionalized U.S. adults, was employed in this study. Lifetime diagnosis of DD was self-reported among survey participants who also completed the Social Determinants of Health optional module within 17 participating BRFSS states and entities. Rao-Scott chi-square analysis was used to determine the association of individual and SDOH measures with DD. Results: The prevalence of DD among participating states was 19.85%. Among respondents, significant proportional differences were observed for each SDOH indicator regarding DD status. However, significant differences in health insurance coverage were not observed. Conclusion: Survey respondents with a lifetime diagnosis of DD experienced adverse SDOH conditions in greater proportion than individuals not reporting DD. Individual and community-based approaches to address the contextual influences of depressive disorders should be aggressively implemented

Physical Fitness and Depressive Symptoms during Army Basic Combat Training

INTRODUCTION: Mental health-related problems are a significant cause of attrition during Basic Combat Training (BCT). Evidence in civilian populations suggests that physical fitness is associated with psychological benefits in civilians, but little is known about the association between physical fitness and psychological adjustment during BCT. METHODS: This study prospectively examined the association between physical fitness and depressive symptoms in 300 BCT soldiers from May to July, 2012 at Fort Jackson, Columbia, SC. Soldiers completed a baseline Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) and survey within one week of arriving at BCT, and an end of cycle survey after eight weeks of BCT. Soldiers were assigned to the “high” fitness category if they had a passing score on the standard APFT of greater than or equal to 180 points out of 300 points. Soldiers scoring less than 180 points on the APFT were assigned to the “ low” fitness category. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. RESULTS: In multivariate analyses, adjusting for baseline demographics, self-reported sleep prior to BCT, BCT confidence, Army identification, and depressive symptoms, the odds of reporting depressive symptoms were 60% lower for soldiers in the high fitness category (odds ratio, OR 0.40; 95% confidence interval, CI 0.19–0.84), compared to soldiers in the low fitness category. CONCLUSIONS: Analogous to other positive outcomes of soldier fitness, improvement of soldier physical fitness prior to BCT might improve soldiers' psychological health outcomes