The researchers determined that close to 20% of black women were recently or chronically depressed in adulthood, as were 11.9% of black men, 13% of white women and 8.1% of white men.(In case someone misses the sarcasm.)
For both genders and among blacks and whites, being depressed was associated with a greater likelihood of having multiple sex partners
The researchers determined that close to 20% of black women were recently or chronically depressed in adulthood, as were 11.9% of black men, 13% of white women and 8.1% of white men.
ReplyDeleteThis contradicts The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which indicated that depression was more common amongst whites than blacks.
Prevalence of Depression by Race/Ethnicity: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III
Depression prevalence was examined by race/ethnicity in a nationally representative sample. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule was administered to 8449 (response rate=96.1%) participants (aged 15–40 years). Prevalence of major depressive disorder was significantly higher in Whites than in African Americans and Mexican Americans; the opposite pattern was found for dysthymic disorder. Across racial/ethnic groups, poverty was a significant risk factor for major depressive disorder, but significant interactions occurred between race/ethnicity, gender, and education in relation to prevalence of dysthymic disorder.
B.B.
I wonder if mestizo rates of depression are the lowest. It seems they're pushing out babies because they're not depressed.
ReplyDeleteDiversity depresses those it isn't strengthening. The question is, do depressed people have less babies?
B.B.,
ReplyDeleteI have no explanation for that disagreement. It's conceivable that age plays a role (the Add Health sample is fairly young; the NHANES data includes a broader age range). E.g., perhaps older blacks are less likely to recall or admit earlier depression.
Dysthymic disorder is "minor depression". In the paper you reference, the combined prevalance of major and minor depression appears to be about the same across races (~15%). "Depression" in the paper I cite does apparently mean "major depression" (at least that's the exposure the authors intended to use), but NHANES and Add Health use different instruments to assess depression, so one would not necessarily expect identical results.
Tanstaafl,
From the paper linked by B.B.:
Most previous studies have suggested that African American individuals have lower rates of depression compared with White individuals. These National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III findings indicate that prevalence of depression differs significantly by race/ethnicity but that comparative rates depend on the type of depression. African American and Mexican American individuals have higher lifetime prevalence rates of dysthymic disorder, whereas White individuals have higher lifetime prevalence rates of major depressive disorder.
What is it about being African American or Mexican American in the United States that results in chronic dysphoria? Our findings are partially explained by poverty and lack of education; however, other cultural factors may have a mediating effect. There may be subgroups of Mexican American persons (e.g., immigrants with little education who do not speak English) with a higher prevalence of dysthymic disorder. Past research has shown the importance of immigration status and generational differences (e.g., acculturation).10 We found that non–English-speaking persons had significantly lower education (P = .000). Although the Spanish-language version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule8 was used, non–English-speaking persons may have understood questions differently, may have manifested depression differently, or may have been less willing to endorse depression. Differences by race/ethnicity in help seeking, accessing mental health services, and using psychotropic medication also may have contributed. Riolo et al.,11 in their analyses of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III data, found that rates of psychotropic medication treatment differed by racial/ethnic group. Although African American and Mexican American individuals have lower rates of major depressive disorder than do White individuals, they are also less likely to receive medical treatment, which may contribute to more chronic depression.11,12
Study limitations include year of data collection and consequent use of DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria. However, respondents were asked whether they had taken medication or told a provider about their symptoms; these questions were used to approximate the functional impairment criterion of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. In addition, accuracy of lifetime diagnoses based on self-report may be affected by recall bias (e.g., results show higher lifetime rates of major depressive disorder among those aged 20–24 vs 25–34 years). Self-report is also limited by patient insight and does not allow for examiner ability to elicit nonverbal signs of depression (e.g., psychomotor retardation). Future research is needed to consider other potentially important factors, such as unemployment, rural residence, and comorbid disorders (e.g., substance use and anxiety disorders).
Lifetime prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder:
White 10.40 5.70
African American 7.50 7.50
Mexican American 8.00 7.40
As far as I remember reading, happier people have more children on average. They're much more likely to be/stay married as well.
ReplyDeletefor girls i'd imagine it leads them being willing more often....for the males, Edward in Twilight is making them even more of a sex symbol than before.
ReplyDelete