Depression Among African American Midlife Women

Today seven million African American women are living in their prime, experiencing the joys and challenges of middle age. Now, at last, here is the book that addresses ourtotalhealth needs—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Written by a distinguished physician and a clinical psychologist,Prime Timeis the first complete guide that empowers us to take charge of our lives and attain the well-being we deserve. In many ways, it’s true that we are better off today than our foremothers were: We earn more money, command more respect. Yet in spite of these advances, we still experience more chronic health problems, endure more stress, and live shorter lives than women of other races. That’s whyPrime Timeis both urgent and essential. This groundbreaking book not only lays out a detailed, practical plan for overall healing and for maintaining wellness, it also addresses the underlying attitudes and assumptions that lead so many of us to neglect ourselves and undermine our own health.Prime Timewill help you • Reframe priorities to put yourself and your own health needs first • Interpret the latest medical findings on the Big Four killers and how they affect black women in middle age • Profile your current health with worksheets, quizzes, and assessment tools • Renew sex at midlife by eliminating restricting myths and taboos and finding new paths to pleasure • Reduce anger and “attitude” that block you from attaining good health • Identify the nontraditional signs of depression and anxiety common to African American women Comprehensive, straight-talking, and grounded in science and spiritual truth,Prime Timeis at once a guide to total health in middle age and a celebration of the strength, wisdom, and beauty of African American women in their second half of life.

Research has demonstrated the relationship between chronic stress and depressive symptoms and supported the influence of personal characteristics on chronic stress and depressive symptoms. However, few studies have examined these relationships in specific minority populations. This study used Vitaliano's model of chronic stress to guide a secondary analysis of these relationships in a convenience sample of 206 midlife (39-65 years) African-American women from a southern rural community. Data were obtained from a larger study of perimenopausal southern rural African-American women. The results showed that although the women reported relatively low levels of chronic stress and depressive symptoms, associations with certain personal vulnerabilities and personal and social resources emerged. Key findings were that women who rated their health as better than others reported greater stress (F=4.097; p=.018), and greater knowledge of menopausal symptoms and greater social support were correlated with greater chronic stress (r=.18, p

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.

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.

The number of women at midlife served by the helping professions is substantial. Thorough and insightful, this book fills the gap in knowledge about these women and examines critical issues concerning family, caregiving, work, physical health, emotional and mental health, and more. Dispelling restrictive and outdated myths, the authors probe the meaning and direction of women at midlife. This scholarly volume, highlighted by compelling vignettes and backed by extraordinary research, explores the full range of midlife experiences, from how to define midlife to individual development to relationships with other family members. Social work instructors, students, and practitioners, as well as women who themselves are at midlife, will find that the work offers important professional and personal benefits.

Racial identity is a complex construct that generally refers to how one defines his or her race, and how strongly one feels he or she belongs to it. Having an identity that is stigmatized yet highly salient to a person can be problematic in that people of color may be at risk of psychological distress due to experiences of racism, unequal treatment, and anxiety about future experiences of discrimination. Nonetheless, positive feelings of ethnic affirmation and belonging, appreciation for one’s ethnic identity, and increased ethnic behaviors have been identified as factors contributing to resilience and coping in African Americans. Research alludes to a strong, positive racial identity having a protective effect on the risk for developing depression; however, the nature and prevalence of depression in Black college-educated women has largely been understudied in the U.S., particularly in regard to women who have completed college or are of middle and high SES. The present study sought to explore the nature of depression and prevalence of depressive symptoms as it relates to Black women in conjunction with racial identity and education level using a sample of 167 African American women. Specifically, it was hypothesized that 1) education would negatively correlate with depression, 2) positive racial identity would negatively correlate with depression, and 3) the combination of a strong, positive racial identity and African American social network would more accurately predict lower depression better than positive racial identity alone. While Hypotheses 1 and 3 were not supported, Hypothesis 2 found support in a strong negative correlation between depression and racial regard, one of the three dimensions of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity. Results indicate that women who hold positive views toward themselves as Black people and perceive others as doing the same are at lower risk for developing depression. This connection indicates the importance of racial socialization and how fostering cultural pride can influence positive mental health outcomes in people of color.