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Depression is responsible for widespread functional impairment and disability in 16 million individuals across the United States, as well as societal costs that exceed $36 billion. There are numerous risk factors for depression, such as female gender, ethnic minority status, poverty, incarceration, and comorbid substance use disorders. Thus, low-income, criminal-justice-involved African American women in recovery from substance use problems represent a population that is particularly vulnerable to depression. Social support has been established as a protective factor against depression; however, the relationship between social support and depression has been understudied in such high-risk African American populations. The present study examined the relationship between social support and depression among low-income, criminal-justice-involved African American women in recovery, through the lens of Coyne's interactional theory of depression and Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression. The relationship between social support and depression was assessed via a cross-lagged path model. The mediational impact of social support on the relationship between Oxford House sober-living home residence and depression was also be explored. Policy and treatment implications will be discussed, along with suggestions for future research.
Mental Health Care in the African-American Community provides a practical, historical analysis of mental health research, policy, community, environment, and clinical practice as they affect the mental health of African-American individuals throughout the life span.
Estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental health problem or will misuse alcohol or drugs in their lifetimes. These disorders are among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment. Improving the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders has been a priority in the United States for more than 50 years. The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 is considered a major turning point in America's efforts to improve behavioral healthcare. It ushered in an era of optimism and hope and laid the groundwork for the consumer movement and new models of recovery. The consumer movement gave voice to people with mental and substance use disorders and brought their perspectives and experience into national discussions about mental health. However over the same 50-year period, positive change in American public attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders has lagged behind these advances. Stigma is a complex social phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors to a person with that attribute. Labeled individuals are then socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. This report contributes to national efforts to understand and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that can lead to stigma and discrimination. Changing stigma in a lasting way will require coordinated efforts, which are based on the best possible evidence, supported at the national level with multiyear funding, and planned and implemented by an effective coalition of representative stakeholders. Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change explores stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental or substance use disorders and recommends effective strategies for reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment and other supportive services. It offers a set of conclusions and recommendations about successful stigma change strategies and the research needed to inform and evaluate these efforts in the United States.
African American women have commonly been portrayed as "pillars" of their communities—resilient mothers, sisters, wives, and grandmothers who remain steadfast in the face of all adversities. While these portrayals imply that African American women have few psychological problems, the scientific literature and demographic data present a different picture. They reveal that African American women are at increased risk for psychological distress because of factors that disproportionately affect them, including lower incomes, greater poverty and unemployment, unmarried motherhood, racism, and poor physical health. Yet at the same time, rates of mental illness are low. This invaluable book is the first comprehensive examination of the contradictions between the strengths and vulnerabilities of this population. Using the contexts of race, gender, and social class, In and Out of Our Right Minds challenges the traditional notions of mental health and mental illness as they apply to African American women.
Depression does not discriminate, and yet the ways in which people and communities view and react to depression differ. The unique experiences of African Americans are often taken into account when examining other topics of interest, but mental health in general is often overlooked. African Americans and Depression helps to uncover the realities of depression among African Americans, and the various ways in which sufferers and their families address, or don’t address, it. The authors provide guidance for understanding the illness, suggestions on how to heal and recover holistically, and pathways for getting help. With a primary focus on the psychological and medical needs of African Americans, the authors explore and offer an overview of clinical depression among African Americans, discuss the signs of and cultural myths surrounding clinical depression, outline the mental health help-seeking process for African Americans, and suggest potential barriers and strategies for healing. Further, they discuss community-based interventions and innovations in service programs. Lastly, the authors offer insight on mental health and health policy in the United States care systems. Including firsthand accounts from sufferers and families, this work will aid readers to better understand depression and how and where to find help.
Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2010 wave, this research examined depression among community-dwelling, African American women, age 50 and over. Depression among this population was examined in relation to age, social support, religion, caregiving, and physical health. Intersectionality and social construction were used as theoretical frameworks for the study.-- Abstract.
These findings are similar to previous studies and suggest that sociodemographic characteristics are key determinants of African American women's mental health. Although none of the coping resources were found to moderate the link between economic stress and depressive symptoms, social support and religious involvement significantly reduced depressive symptoms. In addition, unlike previous studies that suggest that the impact of economic hardship on depression is mediated through economic stress, findings from this study provides evidence to the contrary. For this sample of African American women, the overall economic conditions are the primary determinants of depressive symptoms.