Clues to the Blues: Predictors of Self-Reported Mental and Emotional Health Among Older African American Men

American Journal of Men's Health
Jamie A MitchellJanice Burnett

Abstract

The mental health needs of aging African American men have been overlooked and few studies have distinguished between more severe clinically diagnosable mental health challenges and less severe emotional states for this population. African American men may not identify with or internalize the terminology of "depression" despite exhibiting the symptom criteria. This exploratory cross-sectional study examined correlates of "downheartedness" as an alternative indicator of emotional health. The authors examined the self-reported responses of 1,666 older African American men on a baseline questionnaire from a larger longitudinal study. Demographic, physical, mental and emotional health, and health system factors were examined as possible correlates of downheartedness. The mean age of participants was 73.6 years and 74.8% of men described themselves as "downhearted and blue" most or all of the time while only 18.5% of them reported feeling moderate to severe anxiety or depression. When other factors were controlled, mobility problems (odds ratio [ OR] = 2.36), problems getting health care ( OR = 2.69), having a doctor who never listens ( OR = 2.18), physical or mental problems that interfere with social activities ( OR = 1.34), accom...Continue Reading

References

Dec 24, 1995·Journal of Affective Disorders·R E RobertsB L Solovitz
Apr 13, 2001·Community Mental Health Journal·F M Baker
Jan 2, 2004·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·Dinesh Bhugra, Anastasia Mastrogianni
Apr 28, 2006·Journal of Health Communication·Bradford W HesseGary L Kreps
Dec 7, 2006·Family & Community Health·Lorna KendrickBenjamin Moore
May 17, 2007·The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry : Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry·Briggett C FordJames S Jackson
Jun 12, 2010·Journal of Psychiatric Research·Hector M GonzálezWilliam A Vega
Jun 24, 2010·Patient Education and Counseling·Richard L KravitzPaul Duberstein
Mar 23, 2011·Journal of Aging Studies·Kyaien O ConnerCharlotte Brown
Jun 15, 2011·Research on Social Work Practice·Karen D LincolnLinda M Chatters
Nov 17, 2011·Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM·Kathryn I PollakTruls Ostbye
Jan 14, 2012·Psychological Reports·William JarroldMatthias Mehl
Jul 11, 2013·American Journal of Men's Health·Danielle E K Perkins
Jul 31, 2013·The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry·Earlise Ward, Maigenete Mengesha
Oct 16, 2013·The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry : Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry·Lisa C BarryEleanor M Simonsick
May 1, 2011·Research on Social Work Practice·Daphne C WatkinsJames S Jackson
Feb 5, 2015·Research on Aging·Jamie A MitchellJanice Burnett
Mar 1, 2015·Research on Social Work Practice·Daphne C WatkinsJamie A Mitchell

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Apr 7, 2017·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Nelda MierMatthew Lee Smith
Jun 23, 2016·American Journal of Men's Health·Darrell L HudsonHarold Neighbors
Dec 19, 2019·Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing : JHPN : the Official Journal of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association·Danielle R Larkin
Jul 20, 2019·Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine·Carl V Hill
Jun 18, 2020·Psychology Research and Behavior Management·Sharon CobbShervin Assari
Oct 27, 2020·Social Work in Public Health·Darius D Reed, Raymond Adams

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.