Depression among African Americans, Latinos, and Caucasians with spinal cord injury: A exploratory study.

Objective: Explored the relationship between depression and racial–ethnic group membership among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). No literature exists on this topic, and research on related areas reveals variable findings with regard to ethnic–racial differences in depression. Study Design: During their annual physical exams at an SCI clinic in Southern California, 171 Ss with SCI completed the Older Adult Health and Mood Questionnaire, a clinically validated measure of depressive symptomatology. Participants: Forty-six Caucasians, 28 African Americans, and 97 Latinos over 21 years of age with either tetraplegia or paraplegia. Main Outcome Measures: Depression scores, diagnoses, and item clusters. 42% of the Ss reported clinically significant symptomatology; 18% reported possible major depression. Latino Ss reported higher overall depression scores than either African American or Caucasian Ss, who did not differ from each other. Latinos also had a greater prevalence of possible major depression, along with higher item clusters reflecting loss of pleasure and greater feelings of hopelessness and fatigue. Conclusions: These findings suggest a need for routine screening for depression after SCI, particularly among individuals from Latino backgrounds. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Substance use and symptomatology among adolescent children of alcoholics.

Assessed the magnitude and specificity of parental alcoholism as a risk factor for internalizing symptomatology, externalizing symptomatology, and alcohol and drug use in adolescence. Parents' and children's reports of symptomatology and children's reports of alcohol and drug use were evaluated in a community sample of 454 adolescents. The results showed that parental alcoholism was a moderate to strong risk factor, with stronger risk associated with recent (rather than remitted) parental alcoholism. Multivariate analyses showed that the specificity of risk varied with the outcome measure. In predicting externalizing symptomatology, the risk associated with parental alcoholism was mediated by co-occurring parental psychopathology and environmental stress. However, in predicting alcohol use, the father's alcoholism was a specific risk factor above and beyond the more generalized effects of stress and family disruption. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determining cephalometric norms for Caucasians and African Americans in Birmingham

The purpose of this study was to establish age- and sex-specific normative data for Caucasians and African Americans in Birmingham, Ala. Subjects (136) between 6 and 18 years old were included in the study. Chang's method (AF-BF) and 12 other measurements were used as determinates of the skeletal sagittal jaw relationship. All subjects had acceptable facial profiles and Class I occlusion. Subjects were divided into eight subgroups based on race, gender, and age. Differences of mean cephalometric values were tested using parametric and nonparametric statistical tests. Compared with Caucasians, African Americans had greater mean values for all measurements except AFB and AF-BF. More negative values were found for the African Americans in the Wits appraisal. Most measurements were found to decrease with age. These findings support our hypothesis that cephalometric norms should be based on racial, sex, and age differences.     

Psychiatric diagnosis and symptomatology.

35 symptom formations were isolated through an analysis of the case histories of 793 psychiatric patients with functional disorders. Percentage of patients in 1 of 4 groups (manic-depressive, schizophrenic, psychoneurotic, character disorder) characterized by each symptom was tabulated. The results indicated that there are no particular symptoms which are specific to 1 of the 4 psychiatric groupings, and that these groupings are not described by any unique clustering of symptoms. A symptom classification system (by Phillips & Rabinovitch, 1958) was seen to have a positive, though small, statistical relationship with psychiatric grouping. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4HI69Z. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Increased sensitivity to bradykinin among African Americans

BACKGROUND: Angioedema is a potentially life-threatening side effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Although the mechanism of angioedema is not certain, bradykinin has been implicated in its pathogenesis. Compared with Caucasians, African Americans are at an increased risk of ACE inhibitor-associated angioedema, independent of ACE inhibitor dose or concurrent medications. Because urinary kallikrein levels are decreased in African Americans with hypertension, we hypothesized that endogenous bradykinin levels may be decreased in African Americans and that they therefore may be more sensitive to ACE inhibitor-induced increases in bradykinin or to exogenous bradykinin. OBJECTIVE: To test this hypothesis, we measured the wheal response to intradermal injection of bradykinin in salt-replete hypertensive and normotensive African Americans and Caucasians. METHODS: Two doses of bradykinin, 1 microgram and 10 micrograms, were administered on separate days in a randomized, double-blind fashion. RESULTS: Higher bradykinin dose (analysis of variance: F = 38.33, p < 0.001), African American race (analysis of variance: F = 17.90, p < 0.001), and hypertension (analysis of variance: F = 4.37, p = 0.05) were all associated with an increased wheal response to bradykinin. CONCLUSION: These data provide additional support for racial differences in the kallikrein-kinin system and also implicate abnormalities of the tissue kallikrein-kinin system in essential hypertension.     

Perceiving pervasive discrimination among African Americans: Implications for group identification and well-being.

The processes involved in well-being maintenance among African Americans who differed in their attributions to prejudice were examined. A rejection–identification model was proposed where stable attributions to prejudice represent rejection by the dominant group. This results in a direct and negative effect on well-being. The model also predicts a positive effect on well-being that is mediated by minority group identification. In other words, the generally negative consequences of perceiving oneself as a victim of racial prejudice can be somewhat alleviated by identification with the minority group. Structural equation analyses provided support for the model and ruled out alternative theoretical possibilities. Perceiving prejudice as pervasive produces effects on well-being that are fundamentally different from those that may arise from an unstable attribution to prejudice for a single negative outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive test performance among nondemented elderly African Americans and whites

We examined the neuropsychological test performance of a randomly selected community sample of English-speaking non-Hispanic African American and white elders in northern Manhattan. All participants were diagnosed as nondemented by a neurologist, whose assessment was made independent of neuropsychological test scores. African American elders obtained significantly lower scores on measures of verbal and nonverbal learning and memory, abstract reasoning, language, and visuospatial skill than whites. After using a stratified random sampling technique to match groups on years of education, many of the discrepancies became nonsignificant; however, significant ethnic group differences on measures of figure memory, verbal abstraction, category fluency, and visuospatial skill remained. Discrepancies in test performance of education-matched African Americans and whites could not be accounted for by occupational attainment or history of medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. These findings emphasize the importance of using culturally appropriate norms when evaluating ethnically diverse elderly for dementia.     

Psychiatric symptomatology in persons with organic solvent exposure.

Investigated psychiatric symptomatology, self-concept, locus of control, and daily events in persons with a history of exposure to mixtures of organic solvents. Exposed Ss were more likely than controls to report depression, anxiety, fatigue, confusion, and somatic concerns, which in turn were associated with certain exposure-related variables (e.g., cacosmia). There were no differences between the groups in self-concept, locus of control, or ratings of daily hassles and uplifts. Exposed persons may be able to accurately identify what they perceive as changes that are due to the exposure (e.g., anxiety) without attributing these specific adverse outcomes to dispositional variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Religion/spirituality and health among elderly African Americans and Hispanics

1 It is important to view elders in a multicultural sense and also understand that there may be great heterogeneity within cultural or ethnic groups. 2 Knowledge of the impact of religion and spiritual beliefs for ethnic groups can help health care professionals design interventions that are culture-specific to the beliefs of individuals. 3 The psychiatric nurse is in a unique position to encourage the patient to use healthy religious practices to deal with their illness, whether mental or physical.     

Adult social behavioral effects of heavy adolescent marijuana use among African Americans.

The authors examined the effects of heavy adolescent marijuana use on employment, marriage, and family formation and tested both dropping out of high school and adult marijuana use as potential mediators of these associations among a community sample of African Americans followed longitudinally from age 6 to age 32-33. They used propensity score matching to reduce selection bias when estimating the effects of heavy adolescent marijuana use. Logistic regression results on the sample matched on sex, and early demographic and behavioral variables showed that adolescent marijuana use has adult social behavioral consequences: Use of marijuana 20 times or more during adolescence was associated with being unemployed and unmarried in young adulthood and having children outside of marriage for both males and females. Dropping out of high school and more frequent adult marijuana use seem to be important parts of the pathway from adolescent marijuana use to negative life outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical, psychological, and societal correlates of bulimic symptomatology among African American college women.

Although eating disorders have been the focus of considerable research, African American women generally have been overlooked, despite recent investigations indicating they also are at risk. In this study, the authors examined physical, psychological, and societal correlates of bulimic symptomatology in African American college women. Regression analysis revealed that body mass, body dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem were significantly related to bulimic symptomatology, accounting for 29% of the variance. Internalization of U.S. societal beliefs about attractiveness, level of identification with White culture, and level of depression, however, were not significant predictors of bulimic symptoms in the regression equation. The findings are discussed in the context of sociocultural approaches to understanding eating disorders. Implications for counseling interventions as well as directions for future research are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychiatric symptomatology associated with contemporary peacekeeping: an examination of post-mission functioning among peacekeepers in Somalia

Contemporary peacekeepers frequently confront complex stressors including the need to directly enforce peace between warring factions, to deliver humanitarian aid in the midst of political-social devastation, and to balance shifting rules of engagement. As such, it is proposed that participants may be at increased risk for the development of psychiatric distress. The present study examined the types of stressors encountered by 3,461 peacekeepers in Somalia, their current psychiatric functioning as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the relationship between exposure to various stressors and adjustment. Over one third of participants met criteria for psychiatric caseness. The most commonly reported symptoms included hostility, psychoticism, depression, and paranoid ideation. The best predictors of current functioning were found to be exposure to traditional war-zone-related stressors and general military pride and cohesion. These findings highlight the mental health consequences that service in a peacekeeping mission may have for United States solidiers. Further research is needed to investigate potential mechanisms that could serve as buffers to the stress associated with peacekeeping service.     

Prevalence and impact of risk factors for lower body difficulty among Mexican Americans, African Americans, and whites

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to estimate the prevalence of sociodemographic, health behavior, chronic disease, and impairment factors and their impact on difficulty in lower body function among two age-cohorts (51-61 and 71-81 years) of Mexican Americans, African Americans, and Whites. METHODS: Reports from 8,727 and 4,510 self-respondents of the 1992 baseline Health and Retirement Survey and the 1993 baseline Assets and Health Dynamics Study, respectively, were used to estimate prevalence. Multiple linear regression of the 4-item lower body difficulty scale (alpha = .80) was used to estimate the direct effects of the risk factors within the age-cohort and ethnicity groups. RESULTS: Overall, the risk factors are more prevalent among both minority groups and the older age-cohort. Lower body deficits are particularly high among Mexican Americans and the younger age-cohort of African Americans. The impact of risk factors does not vary much by ethnicity or age-cohort. Female gender, pain, arthritis, and heart and lung disease are the major risk factors, and they account for about one-third of the variance in lower body difficulty for each group. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to prevent or reduce lower body difficulty should pay particular attention to pain, arthritis, and heart and lung disease. The central role of sociodemographic and behavioral factors in chronic disease argues for their continued inclusion in disability modeling and prevention.     

Relative body weight and self-esteem among African Americans in four nationally representative samples

Since the emergence of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, its clinical applications have seen a logarithmic growth. The advantage of MR imaging is that it offers a vast amount of important clinical information with minimal risk to the patient, and promises to reduce the need for angiographic studies with their attendant morbidity and mortality. We review the applications and recent advances of MR imaging to include coronary imaging of native, bypassed and stented vessels, carotid arteries, peripheral arteries, and the aorta. In addition, we discuss issues of patient preferences and the future directions of MR imaging. We predict that the clinical utility of MR angiography will grow with refinements that will improve speed, resolution, and even the use of spectroscopy to characterize plaque.     

The relationship between health status and blood pressure in urban African Americans

African Americans have higher rates of hypertension and poorer health status than their white counterparts. This study assessed the relationship between health status, cardiovascular risk factors, and measured blood pressure. Free blood pressure screenings were performed at businesses and organizations located in west Baltimore. All individuals with cardiovascular risk factors were offered health education. Also, participants with a measured blood pressure of > or = 140/90 mm Hg were referred for free medical treatment. Participants completed a questionnaire that included demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, the Medical Outcomes Study SF 36, and two tests on cholesterol and heart disease knowledge. A total of 1389 African-American men and women were screened; 20% were found to have high normal blood pressure and 31% had stage 1 hypertension or higher. Those with hypertension reported lower physical functioning and poorer general health than those without high blood pressure. When compared with US normative data, participants reported higher levels in vitality and physical and emotional role functioning, more bodily pain, and poorer general health, but they were similar in physical functioning, social functioning, and mental health. Preliminary data suggest that hypertension does have an effect on health function.     

The influence of social support and active coping on depression among African Americans and Latinos with disabilities.

Examined relationships among depression, active coping, and social support in a sample of 109 African Americans and 57 Latinos with a variety of disabling conditions, including physical, chronic illness, neurological, sensory, emotional, substance abuse, and cognitive disabilities. Ss' ages ranged from 18 to over 61 yrs old. Measures included a short version of the Beck Depression Inventory, the Personal Resources Questionnaire and the condensed version of the Behavioral Attributes of Psychosocial Competence Scale. Findings indicate that active coping, satisfaction with social support, and type of disability were significant predictors of depression for African Americans, whereas active coping, perception of severity of disability, and social support were significant predictors of depression for Latinos. These findings underscore the importance of testing separate models for African Americans and Latinos. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cardiovascular reactivity and central adiposity in older African Americans.

This study examined central adiposity, as measured by waist circumference (WC), in relation to mental-stress induced systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) responses, body composition, the metabolic syndrome, and health practices in 22 older, African American men and women (ages 52–79 years). The high WC (>100 cm) group showed significantly greater SBP, DBP, and HR reactivity, greater fasting insulin levels, lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, greater fat mass in both truncal and peripheral regions, and greater body mass index as compared to the low WC (     

Depression and cognitive style: Comparisons between measures.

Discusses 4 devices developed recently to measure cognitive styles associated with depression that appear to have an underlying similarity—an attributional style questionnaire developed by M. F. Seligman et al (see PA, Vol 88:6218); a model of characterological self-blame developed by R. Janoff-Bulman (see record 1981-01320-001); a cognitive-bias questionnaire developed by C. Hammen (1981); and an attitudes-toward-self (ATS) scale developed by C. S. Carver and R. J. Ganellen (see record 1983-32781-001). Each measure appears to reflect a tendency for respondents to infer a general lack of self-worth (or a continued likelihood of bad events) on the basis of a single discrete failure. The present research was a comparative test of one of these scales against the other 3 in terms of associations with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. Though all instruments were significantly correlated with the BDI, partial correlations revealed that the generalization (ATS) scale was a more robust predictor of BDI than were the measures of characterological self-blame, cognitive bias, and attributional style. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Knowledge of diet and blood pressure among African Americans: use of focus groups for questionnaire development

The long-term results were reviewed for seventy-two patients (seventy-five knees) who had had a bone-patellar ligament-bone intra-articular reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament between August 1984 and May 1992. The mean age of the patients at the time of the operation was forty-five years (range, forty to sixty years). Three patients had a bilateral procedure. The primary mechanisms of injury were accidents that occurred during skiing (thirty-two knees), tennis (fourteen knees), and soccer (five knees). We analyzed the responses to subjective questionnaires, the functional results, and the objective clinical data. The clinical examination included assessment of the range of motion, performance of Lachman and pivot-shift tests, and measurements with use of a KT-1000 arthrometer. All knees were evaluated with use of three common rating scales: that of Lysholm and Gillquist; that of The Hospital for Special Surgery, as modified by Insall et al.; and the International Knee Ligament Standard Evaluation Form. At the latest follow-up evaluation, at a mean of fifty-five months (range, twenty-six to 117 months), three patients reported pain or swelling. No patient reported giving-way or symptoms related to the patellofemoral joint. The mean range of extension was -12 to 6 degrees, compared with -8 to 42 degrees preoperatively, and the mean range of flexion was 112 to 150 degrees, compared with 52 to 154 degrees preoperatively. Flexion was limited to 112 degrees in one patient, but this was 5 degrees greater than that of the uninvolved knee. Sixty knees (80 per cent) had a negative pivot-shift test, and ten knees (13 per cent) had a grade of 1+. On testing with the KT-1000 device at maximum manual pressure, the mean difference between the injured and uninjured knees was found to have improved by 5.1 millimeters, from 6.4 millimeters preoperatively to 1.4 millimeters postoperatively (p < 0.01). The grade on the International Knee Ligament Standard Evaluation Form improved markedly; seventy-two knees (96 per cent) had a grade of C or D preoperatively, whereas seventy knees (93 per cent) had a grade of A or B postoperatively. The Hospital for Special Surgery score improved from a mean of 69 points preoperatively to a mean of 92 points postoperatively (p < 0.01). The mean score according to the scale of Lysholm and Gillquist increased from a mean of 63 points preoperatively to a mean of 94 points postoperatively (p < 0.01). All patients indicated that they were pleased with the result of the procedure. Bicycling was resumed at a mean of four months; jogging, at a mean of nine months; skiing, at a mean of ten months; and tennis, at a mean of twelve months.