The role of negative affect in the relation between subjective social status and mental health among economically disadvantaged Latinos in primary care

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 219-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Zvolensky ◽  
Jafar Bakhshaie ◽  
Daniel J. Paulus ◽  
Monica Garza ◽  
Jeanette Valdivieso ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the explanatory role of negative affect in the relation between subjective social status and anxiety/depressive disorders, suicidality symptoms, and disruption in life domains (i.e. disability; work/school, social life, and family life/home responsibilities) among Latinos seeking health services at a primary healthcare facility. Design/methodology/approach An experiment was designed using participants including 205 adult Latinos (Mage=39.2; SD=11.4) with annual incomes of less than $30,000. The sample was mostly female (85.9 percent) with a majority (98.5 percent) indicating Spanish as their first language. Findings Results indicated that subjective social status was indirectly related to the mental health variables through negative affect. Notably, these observed effects were evident above and beyond the variance accounted for by gender, age, marital status, educational status, employment status, and number of years in the USA. Research limitations/implications The present findings suggest that there is merit in focusing further scientific attention on the interplay between subjective social status and negative affect to better understand and possibly intervene to reduce anxiety/depressive vulnerability and disability among Latinos in primary care settings. Originality/value The current study sheds light on the relationship between social status and negative affect in the Latino population. Elucidating mental health in a minority population such as the Latino population provides insight into the mental health needs among minorities that have yet to be addressed.

2019 ◽  
Vol Volume 12 ◽  
pp. 557-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Neubert ◽  
Philipp Süssenbach ◽  
Winfried Rief ◽  
Frank Euteneuer

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 686-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Zvolensky ◽  
Daniel J. Paulus ◽  
Jafar Bakhshaie ◽  
Andres G. Viana ◽  
Monica Garza ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy E. Uecker ◽  
Lindsay R. Wilkinson

Research on education and mental health has focused primarily on the benefits of higher levels of educational attainment. Other aspects of education, such as college selectivity, may also be associated with mental health, and higher subjective social status (SSS) is a potential pathway through which college selectivity and mental health could be linked. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study (a) examines whether college selectivity influences mental health independent of objective measures of socioeconomic status and (b) assesses the role of SSS in this relationship. Among college graduates, attending a more selective college is associated with higher ratings of SSS, which in turn are associated with fewer depressive symptoms and lower perceived stress and anxiety. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of college selectivity and SSS in the mental health of young adults.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Mehravar ◽  
Abbas Rahimi Foroushani ◽  
Mohammad Ali Vakili ◽  
Saharnaz Nedjat

Abstract Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) has often been considered a major predictor of mental health-related outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and stress. However, little is known about the mediating role of subjective social status (SSS) — an individual perception of relative position in the social hierarchy—in the relationship between SES and health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the mediating role of SSS in the relationship between SES and mental health among the employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).Methods:The data from the enrolment phase of a cohort study on TUMS employees (n = 4461) were used in this cross-sectional study. Household SES was the main independent variable. SES was first entered into the mediation model as a composite index (a combination of wealth index, social class, and education), and then each indicator was entered separately. Stress, anxiety, and depression scores were measured using the DASS-42 Scale as a latent outcome variable for mental health status. SSS was evaluated as a potential mediator variable using the MacArthur scale which was converted to a five-point Likert item. The mediation analysis was carried out using a two-step structural equation modeling (SEM) approach in STATA version 14.0 with maximum likelihood (ML) estimation. Finally, the direct and indirect effects of SES indices on mental health were investigated, considering SSS's mediating role.Results: The data showed that 2706 participants (60.65%) were female and the mean age of all participants was 42.21±8.72 years. The standardized path coefficient for the direct effect of SES on SSS was --0.50 (SE=0.013), whereas the standardized path coefficient for the direct effect of SSS on mental health was 0.10 (SE=0.018). The standardized indirected effect of the composite SES-index on mental health through the SSS is -0.05 (lower SSS and mental health scores and higher SES scores indicate improvements in the status of these variables). Contribution of SSS in association between composite SES-index and the mental health of TUMS employees is 27.78% (27.27% in male and 22.23% in female). In addition, contribution of SSS for the association between the indices of wealth, education, social class and mental health is 41.67%, 36.36%, and 28.57%, respectively.Conclusions:The Findings of this study showed that a poorer SSS may influence the pathology of mental health disorders. It seems to be as a mediator in the association between SES and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Individuals' mental health may thus be improved by intervening in their subjective social status in relation to SES, which is relatively more stable.


2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seamus Ryan ◽  
Anne Rogers ◽  
Helen Lester

Purpose – Recovery is a key organising principle underlying mental health services, but remains under-researched in primary care. The purpose of this paper is to explore what recovery from psychosis means from multiple perspectives, the role of primary care in fostering recovery, and interventions that might enhance its promotion in primary care. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 20 patients who had experienced psychosis and 24 General Practitioners (GPs) with varying expressed interest in mental health participated in semi-structured interviews, and were invited to two subsequent mixed focus groups. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis. Findings – Recovery was conceptualised by GPs without a specialist clinical interest in mental health as improvements in symptomatic outcomes, by GPs with a special interest as improvements in social or functional outcomes, and by patients as a process involving a “whole person” approach. Both GPs and patients highlighted benefits of primary care including continuity, accessibility, and the role primary care professionals can play in supporting patients’ families, and helping patients expand social support networks. Despite feeling “fobbed off” at times, patients desired a shift in responsibility for psychosis from secondary to primary care. Practical implications – Reflective peer supervision meetings for GPs and patient-led training might improve primary care's ability to provide a more recovery-focused environment. Originality/value – This study provided original and valuable findings regarding how GPs viewed their own role in promoting recovery from psychosis. This study also provided original findings regarding how patients viewed the role of primary care in promoting recovery from psychosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Costa ◽  
L Biddle ◽  
C Mühling ◽  
K Bozorgmehr

Abstract Background Changes in the subjective social status (SSS) of migrants, specifically between the pre- and post-migratory movement, can be a relevant determinant of their mental health condition. This study analyzed the effect of downward subjective social mobility to the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees (ASR) in Germany. Methods Through a random sampling procedure, 560 adult ASR (18+ years) were recruited across 58 collective accommodation centers in Germanys' 3rd largest state (2018). SSS was assessed with the MacArthur social ladder (10-rungs), in reference to the participants' position in the country of origin and in Germany. Quality of Life (QoL, measured with EUROHIS-QOL), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-2) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-2), were considered as mental health outcomes. Generalized linear regression models were fitted to measure associations between changes in SSS and each outcome. Results A loss of 3 or more steps in SSS from origin to Germany (compared to no-change) was significantly associated with poorer scores in QoL (B, standardized coefficient= -2.679, standard error, se = 1.351, p = 0.047), with more symptoms of depression (B = 1.156, se = 0.389, p = 0.003) and anxiety (B = 0.971, se = 0.432, p = 0.025), in models adjusted for SSS in the country of origin. The strength and direction of associations was unaltered after further adjusting for sex, age, educational level and time since arrival, although the coefficient for QoL was non-significant for those declaring a 3-step downward mobility (B= -2.494, se = 1.351, p = 0.066 for QoL; B = 1.048, se = 0.393, p = 0.008 for depression; and B = 1.006, se = 0.438, p = 0.022 for anxiety). Discussion The results suggest that interventions should focus on those experiencing social downward mobility and not only prioritize individuals with low social status. Early integration efforts and intersectoral measures to counter social downward mobility could prevent poor mental health among ASR. Key messages We analysed the impact to the quality of life and mental health of asylum seekers and refugees, of a change in subjective social status from country of origin to Germany. Asylum seekers and refugees residing in Germany, who perceived a downward social status mobility following their migration process, are at risk for poorer mental health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-196
Author(s):  
Maja Dorota Wojciechowska

PurposeSocial capital, understood as intangible community values available through a network of connections, is a factor in the development of societies and improving quality of life. It helps to remove economic inequalities and prevent poverty and social exclusion, stimulate social and regional development, civic attitudes and social engagement and build a civic society as well as local and regional identity. Many of these tasks may be implemented by libraries, which, apart from providing access to information, may also offer a number of services associated with social needs. The purpose of this paper is to present the roles and functions that libraries may serve in local communities in terms of assistance, integration and development based on classical social capital theories.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the classical concepts of social capital in the context of libraries. It analyses the findings of Pierre-Félix Bourdieu, James Coleman, Francis Fukuyama, Robert Putnam, Nan Lin, Ronald Stuart Burt, Wayne Baker and Alejandro Portes. Based on their respective concepts, the paper analyses the role of the contemporary library in the social life of local communities. In particular, it focuses on the possible new functions that public libraries may serve.FindingsA critical review of the concept of social capital revealed certain dependencies between libraries and their neighbourhoods. With new services that respond to the actual social needs, libraries may serve as a keystone, namely they may integrate, animate and engage local communities. This, however, requires a certain approach to be adopted by the personnel and governing authorities as well as infrastructure and tangible resources.Originality/valueThe social engagement of libraries is usually described from the practical perspective (reports on the services provided) or in the context of research on the impact of respective projects on specific groups of users (research reports). A broader approach, based on original social theories, is rarely encountered. The paper draws on classical concepts of social capital and is a contribution to the discussion on possible uses of those concepts based on an analysis of the role of libraries in social life and in strengthening the social capital of local communities.


2003 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 402-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
János Füredi ◽  
Sándor Rózsa ◽  
János Zámbori ◽  
Erika Szádóczky

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