Discrimination Fully Mediates the Effects of Incarceration History on Depressive Symptoms and Psychological Distress Among African American Men

Abstract

Discrimination may play an important role in the mental health problems of African American men with a history of incarceration. These findings have public policy implications as well as clinical implications for mental health promotion of African American men. Policies that reduce preventable incarceration or at least reduce subsequent discrimination for those who have been incarcerated may enhance mental health of previously incarcerated African American men.

High Risk of Depression in High-Income African American Boys

“…Effortful coping among Black men may also explain why high SES is associated with depression and other health costs [93]. Mass incarceration is a structural cause of discrimination and psychological distress for African American men [94]. As a result, high SES would have may take its tolls for African American men from early ages [21,22].…”

Racial Discrimination in Health Care Is Associated with Worse Glycemic Control among Black Men but Not Black Women with Type 2 Diabetes

“…The study used a consecutive sampling strategy. The parent study identified eligible patients from the administrative and clinical databases ( 23 , 49 ). In order to participate, patients needed to (1) be between 18 and 80 years of age, (2) be ability to complete self-report instruments, (3) have a recorded diagnosis of type 2 DM, and (4) self-identify as either non-Hispanic Caucasian/White or African-American/Black.…”

“…In line with prior documentation that Black men report greater interpersonal discrimination than Black women ( 48 , 47 ), we expected Black men to experience more perceived discrimination in health care than Black women do. In addition, as considerable evidence suggested that the relation between discrimination and health may be different between men and women ( 23 , 24 , 43 – 45 ), we expect that perceived health care discrimination would be more strongly associated with glycemic control for Black males than for Black females.…”

“…Scientific evidence linking racial discrimination to poor health is overwhelming ( 13 , 22 , 23 – 27 ). Scholars have attributed this relationship to different mechanisms, including psychological and physiological stress responses ( 28 ), unhealthy coping behaviors ( 4 , 29 , 30 ), and lower health care utilization ( 31 , 32 ).…”

“…Some evidence, mostly derived from community surveys, suggests that gender may modify the effect of perceived discrimination upon health, with a stronger effect for men than women ( 23 , 24 , 43 – 46 ). Although the mechanisms underlying gender differences in the discrimination and health link is still unknown, masculinity, social hierarchy, and expectation for dominance may have a role ( 47 ).…”