Determinants of depression among the black community

Determinants of depression among the black community

The development of mental health conditions is a common phenomenon in the society where every individual is susceptible to the development of these conditions. African American individuals have been primarily associated with the development of mental health disorders, with depression being the most prevalent (Assari & Caldwell, 2018). African American individuals are 20% time likely to develop mental health problems than the general population. The increasing rate of depression in African American citizens is mainly because the majority of African American individuals are highly exposed to factors that increase the risk for mental health development, which include poverty, exposure to violence, and homelessness (Assari, Gibbons & Simons, 2018).

There are significant stereotypes that exist within the African American population regarding depression. People misunderstand mental health conditions, which in most cases, are ignored. This leads to existing assumptions that mental health conditions are associated with personal weaknesses and inability to an individual to control their behavior and cognitive wellbeing. There have also been concerns regarding the reluctance of African American citizens to discuss mental health, considering that it has been associated with shame and stigma within the community. The development of these conditions presents a difficult environment where it is difficult to help in maintaining a clear emphasis on better elements that can help in improving the level of knowledge on depression within the communities (Amutah-Onukagha et al., 2017).

The existing challenges within the black community are based on the fact that the majority of African Americans are found in the lower social class, where they are faced with major challenges that help in defining their level of development within the society. Therefore understanding the determinants of depression within the African American will help in defining better policies that emphasize positive relations within the community as well as policy formulation to transform the current trend.

References

Amutah-Onukagha, N. N., Doamekpor, L. A., & Gardner, M. (2017). An examination of the sociodemographic and health determinants of major depressive disorder among Black women. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 4(6), 1074-1082.

Assari, S., & Caldwell, C. H. (2018). Social determinants of perceived discrimination among black youth: Intersection of ethnicity and gender. Children, 5(2), 24.

Assari, S., Gibbons, F. X., & Simons, R. (2018). Depression among black youth; interaction of class and place. Brain sciences, 8(6), 108.