Goal-Striving Stress, Social Economic Status, and the Mental Health of Black Americans

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75558/1/j.1749-6632.1999.tb08172.x.pd

Professional help use among Black Americans: Implications for unmet need

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44013/1/10464_2004_Article_BF00897212.pd

Seeking professional help for personal problems: Black American's use of health and mental health services

This article explored the use of health and mental health services for serious personal problems in a national sample of adult black Americans. The results indicated low usage of the mental health sector in response to problems. Only 9% of the respondents who sought professional help contacted a community mental health center, psychiatrist or psychologist. Mental health usage was low even among respondents who felt their problem brought them to the point of a nervous breakdown and among respondents who conceptualized their distress in “emotional” terms. The traditional health care sector (doctors, hospitals) and ministers were used more often by blacks in distress. When the use of professional help only is considered, there appeared to be a large pocket of unmet need in the black community. When the use of informal help is taken into consideration, however, the percentage of respondents who did not receive help was considerably lower. The implications of these findings for professional service delivery are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44301/1/10597_2004_Article_BF00754731.pd

Race Differences in Seeking Help from Social Workers

This paper examines race differences in the use of social workers. A major finding is that blacks are more likely to consult social workers than are whites. Socio-demographic variables did not affect this pattern, nor did the type of problem. Implications for the training of social workers are discussed

Goal‐Striving Stress and the Mental Health of College‐Educated Black American Men: The Protective Effects of System‐Blame

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112263/1/j.1939-0025.2011.01116.x.pd

An initial exploration of what ‘mental health’ means to young black men

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93773/1/watkins_neighbors2007.pd

Leisure-time Physical Activity in Relation to Depressive Symptoms in African-Americans: Results from the National Survey of American Life

Objective To examine the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in relation to depressive symptoms in a nationally representative sample of African American (AA) women and AA men with guidance by Stokols\u27 Social Ecological Framework. Method A secondary analysis of AA women (n = 1811) and AA men (n = 1038) was performed on the National Survey of American Life, where a four stage national area probability sampling was conducted. Interviews were conducted 2001–2003. Clinically depressed AA were excluded from the current study. LTPA was measured by self-report frequency (never, rarely, sometimes, often) of participation in sports/exercise. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Logistic regression for complex samples was used to examine the relationship between LTPA and depressive symptoms, adjusting for biopsychobehavioral and sociophysical environmental factors. Results Compared with AA women and AA men who reported never participating in LTPA, the multivariate OR for depressive symptoms in AA women and AA men who reported participating in LTPA often was 0.42 (95% CI = 0.24–0.72) and 0.41 (95% CI = 0.25–0.69) respectively. Conclusion Increased frequency of LTPA was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in a nationally representative sample of non-clinically depressed AAs

Physical Activity Effects on Depressive Symptoms in Black Adults

Objectives: Randomized trials found physical activity (PA) effective in decreasing depressive symptoms. Few studies included Black participants. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to determine the effects of PA on depressive symptoms in Black adults. Methods: Articles were abstracted by conducting a computer and hand search of eligible studies. Results: Eight of 13 studies found a significant inverse relationship between PA and depressive symptoms in Black adults. Sources for the heterogeneity were explored. Conclusion: Future studies should include representative samples of Black adults, incorporate a theory which considers multiple levels of influence, account for genetic factors in the etiology of depressive symptoms, include individuals diagnosed with depression and with health conditions which may increase the risk of depressive symptoms, account for intra-group ethnic heterogeneity, measure and differentiate between social support and social network, consider aspects of the physical environment and use standardized measurements of PA

Depressive Symptoms and Walking in African‐Americans

Objective Although increased frequency of physical activity is associated with fewer depressive symptoms in African‐Americans, most studies do not focus on a specific type of activity. Identifying the activity can provide helpful information for designing interventions that focus on depressive symptoms. The objective of this study was to examine the odds of depressive symptoms in relation to walking in African‐Americans. Design and Sample A secondary analysis was performed on the National Survey of American Life. The sample was made up of community‐dwelling African‐American women (n = 1,903) and men (n = 1,075) who did not meet the DSM‐IV‐TR criteria for depression. Measures Walking was measured by self‐reported frequency (i.e., never, rarely, sometimes, often). Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Logistic regression for complex samples was used to examine the odds of depressive symptoms in relation to walking. Results Women who reported often walking had lower odds for depressive symptoms than women who reported never walking (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.38–0.82). Walking frequency was not related to depressive symptoms in men. Conclusions Walking frequency is a modifiable risk factor for elevated depressive symptoms in African‐American women

Gardening/Yard Work and Depressive Symptoms in African Americans

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of gardening/yard work in relation to depressive symptoms in African-Americans while controlling for biological and social factors. Methods A secondary analysis was performed on the National Survey of American Life (n = 2,903) using logistic regression for complex samples. Gardening/Yard work was measured by self-reported frequency. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Results Biological and social factors, not gardening/yard work, were associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions Biological and social factors may need to be addressed before the association between gardening/yard work and depressive symptoms can be determined