scholarly journals Chronic Stress and Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors among Low-Income African-American Female Caregivers

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungwoo Lim ◽  
Marisol Tellez ◽  
Amid I Ismail
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Chronic Stress ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dietary Behaviors ◽  
African American Female ◽  
Current Smoking ◽  
Residential Movement ◽  
African American Caregivers

ABSTRACT Background Chronic stress increases the risk of excess intake of calorie-dense foods. Low-income minority caregivers in the United States are cumulatively exposed to stressors and unhealthy foods, but evidence of this association is limited in this population group. The objective of the current study was to assess the association between chronic stress and unhealthy dietary behaviors among low-income African-American caregivers in Detroit, Michigan. Methods Data came from Detroit Dental Health Project, a longitudinal study of pairs of African-American caregivers and children during 2002–2007. A sample of 912 female caregivers were included and their baseline (2002–2003) survey responses were analyzed to identify those with chronic stress and patterns of dietary behaviors. The likelihood of having unhealthy dietary behaviors was compared between chronically stressed caregivers and others, and the mediator role of depressive symptoms or current smoking was tested. Results Approximately 10% of caregivers experienced chronic stress as they all reported discrimination, residential movement, and lack of social support. Twenty-five percent of the caregivers were found to have an unhealthy dietary pattern characterized by excess intake of high fatty foods and soda. Chronically stressed caregivers were more likely to exhibit unhealthy dietary behaviors (prevalence ratio: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.84), and this relation was significantly mediated by depressive symptoms, not current smoking. Conclusions These findings suggest that chronic stress played a role in negatively influencing dietary behaviors. As this association might be mediated by depressive symptoms, an intervention to reduce depressive symptoms can be considered as an effective strategy to promote healthy dietary behaviors among chronically stressed minority caregivers.

The "Hustle": Socioeconomic Deprivation, Urban Drug Trafficking, and Low-Income, African-American Male Gender Identity

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 93 (6) ◽  
pp. 1050-1054
Author(s):  
Tony Larry Whitehead ◽  
James Peterson ◽  
Linda Kaljee
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Inner City ◽  
Low Income ◽  
African American Males ◽  
Drug Trafficking ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Support ◽  
Power Base ◽  
Considerable Morbidity ◽  
Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Objective. Drug trafficking seems to be both prevalent and associated with considerable morbidity and mortality among inner-city African-American males. Survey data has indicated the possible importance of economic need in the rapid emergence of drug trafficking in this population. In the present study, an historical-cultural approach is used to examine this economic relationship further and to explore the role that drug trafficking plays in a society that has permitted its successful and rapid growth. Methodology. Data were obtained from interviews of approximately 600 African-Americans residing in inner-city neighborhoods in Washington, DC and Baltimore during nine drug- and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related studies conducted over 4 years. Results and conclusions. From the perspective of the study participants, the need to provide economic support for one's family as well as to achieve some sense of status, respect, and reputation among one's peers are two core constructs of masculine identity in the United States. The historical and worsening inequities in access to economic resources and power by African-American males are viewed as significantly reducing the opportunity for economic success through more social or legal enterprises. Pursuit of nonmainstream activities (such as drug trafficking) is perceived as offering an opportunity for economic advancement and for establishing a power base for individuals who have been denied access to mainstream opportunities.

scholarly journals Imagining Her Future: Diversity in Mothers’ Socialization Goals for Their Adolescent Daughters

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 593-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Ramirez ◽  
Linda Oshin ◽  
Stephanie Milan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Traits ◽  
Socialization Goals ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Q Sort

According to developmental niche theory, members of different cultural and ethnic groups often have distinct ideas about what children need to become well-adapted adults. These beliefs are reflected in parents’ long-term socialization goals for their children. In this study, we test whether specific themes that have been deemed important in literature on diverse families in the United States (e.g., Strong Black Woman [SBW], marianismo, familismo) are evident in mothers’ long-term socialization goals. Participants included 192 mothers of teenage daughters from a low-income city in the United States (58% Latina, 22% African American, and 20% European American [EA]/White). Socialization goals were assessed through a q-sort task on important traits for a woman to possess and content analysis of open-ended responses about what values mothers hoped they would transmit to their daughters as they become adults. Results from ANCOVAs and logistic regression indicate significant racial/ethnic differences on both tasks consistent with hypotheses. On the q-sort task, African American mothers put more importance on women possessing traits such as independence than mothers from other racial/ethnic groups. Similarly, they were more likely to emphasize self-confidence and strength in what they hoped to transmit to their daughters. Contrary to expectation, Latina mothers did not emphasize social traits on the q-sort; however, in open-ended responses, they were more likely to focus on the importance of motherhood, one aspect of marianismo and familismo. Overall, results suggest that these mothers’ long-term socialization goals incorporate culturally relevant values considered important for African American and Latino families.

scholarly journals Low-Income, African American, Adolescent Mothers’ Depressive Symptoms, Perceived Stress, and Social Support

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 2306-2314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christie Campbell-Grossman ◽  
Diane Brage Hudson ◽  
Kevin A. Kupzyk ◽  
Sara E. Brown ◽  
Kathleen M. Hanna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
African American ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Adolescent Mothers ◽  
Low Income ◽  
African American Adolescent

scholarly journals Disparity in Risk Factor Severity for Early Childhood Blood Lead among Predominantly African-American Black Children: The 1999 to 2010 US NHANES

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deniz Yeter ◽  
Ellen C. Banks ◽  
Michael Aschner
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
African American ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Racial Disparity ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Black Children ◽  
The United States ◽  
American Black

There is no safe detectable level of lead (Pb) in the blood of young children. In the United States, predominantly African-American Black children are exposed to more Pb and present with the highest mean blood lead levels (BLLs). However, racial disparity has not been fully examined within risk factors for early childhood Pb exposure. Therefore, we conducted secondary analysis of blood Pb determinations for 2841 US children at ages 1–5 years with citizenship examined by the cross-sectional 1999 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The primary measures were racial disparities for continuous BLLs or an elevated BLL (EBLL) ≥5 µg/dL in selected risk factors between non-Hispanic Black children (n = 608) and both non-Hispanic White (n = 1208) or Hispanic (n = 1025) children. Selected risk factors included indoor household smoking, low income or poverty, older housing built before 1978 or 1950, low primary guardian education <12th grade/general education diploma (GED), or younger age between 1 and 3 years. Data were analyzed using a regression model corrected for risk factors and other confounding variables. Overall, Black children had an adjusted +0.83 µg/dL blood Pb (95% CI 0.65 to 1.00, p < 0.001) and a 2.8 times higher odds of having an EBLL ≥5 µg/dL (95% CI 1.9 to 3.9, p < 0.001). When stratified by risk factor group, Black children had an adjusted 0.73 to 1.41 µg/dL more blood Pb (p < 0.001 respectively) and a 1.8 to 5.6 times higher odds of having an EBLL ≥5 µg/dL (p ≤ 0.05 respectively) for every selected risk factor that was tested. For Black children nationwide, one in four residing in pre-1950 housing and one in six living in poverty presented with an EBLL ≥5 µg/dL. In conclusion, significant nationwide racial disparity in blood Pb outcomes persist for predominantly African-American Black children even after correcting for risk factors and other variables. This racial disparity further persists within housing, socio-economic, and age-related risk factors of blood Pb outcomes that are much more severe for Black children.

scholarly journals Stress of Language Brokering and Mexican American Adolescents’ Adjustment: The Role of Cumulative Risk

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 400-425
Author(s):  
Yishan Shen ◽  
Eunjin Seo ◽  
Dorothy Clare Walt ◽  
Su Yeong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Mexican American ◽  
Cumulative Risk ◽  
Early Adolescents ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Language Brokering ◽  
Adjustment Problems

This study focused on early adolescents’ stress of language brokering and examined the moderating role of family cumulative risk in the relation of language brokering to adjustment problems. Data came from self-reports of 604 low-income Mexican American adolescent language brokers (54% female; [Formula: see text]= 12.4; SD = 0.97; 75% born in the United States) and their parents (99% foreign-born) in central Texas. Path analyses revealed that brokering stress, but not frequency, was positively associated with adolescents’ adjustment problems, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and delinquency. We also found that the relation between stress of brokering for mothers and adolescents’ depressive symptoms was stronger among families with a high cumulative risk. Further, with a high cumulative risk, adolescents exhibited delinquent behaviors regardless of the levels of stress from translating for fathers. Current findings underscore the importance of examining family contexts in assessing the consequences of language brokering for Mexican American early adolescents’ well-being.

Gender, Body Image, and Depressive Symptoms among Low‐Income African American Adolescents

1999 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Grant ◽  
Aoife Lyons ◽  
Dana Landis ◽  
Mi Hyon Cho ◽  
Maddalena Scudiero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
African American ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Low Income ◽  
African American Adolescents
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