Education, perceived discrimination and risk for depression in a southern black cohort. (1st November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Johnson-Lawrence, Vicki; Scott, Jamil B.; James, Sherman A.
• Is Part Of: Aging & mental health. Volume 24:Number 11(2020)
• Page Start: 1872
• Page End: 1878
• Publication Date: 2020-11-01
• Subjects: Depressive symptoms -- discrimination -- education -- African Americans -- economic growth; Older people -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Geriatric psychiatry -- Periodicals; Older people -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Aging -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Aged -- psychology -- periodicals; Mental Health -- periodicals; Mental Health Services -- periodicals; Aging -- psychology -- periodicals; Aged, 80 and over -- psychology -- periodicals; 618.97689
• DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2019.1647131
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-7863

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: Assess whether education moderates associations between discrimination and depression risk within a southern Black/African American cohort in a labor market shifting from manufacturing and farming to education-intensive industries, such as health care and technology. Methods: Data are from the Pitt County (NC) Study ( n = 1154) collected in 2001. Depression risk was assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Study-Depression (CES-D) scale. Discrimination was measured using a subset from the Everyday Discrimination Scale. Education was categorized as completion of less than high school (HS), HS/GED (General Educational Development), or any college. Results: Completing any college mitigated the association between discrimination and CES-D among men ( b = −1.33, 95% CI = −2.56, −0.09) but not women ( b = −0.19, 95% CI = −1.36, 0.98). Conclusions: Education is protective for depression risk related to discrimination for men but not women. Recent macroeconomic changes placed a premium on higher levels of education in 2018, as in the 1990s. Because racial discrimination remains a stressor in the everyday lives of African Americans regardless of education level, the health benefits of higher education for working-aged African Americans in shifting labor markets warrants further investigation.