Race, age and serious psychological distress in the USA

Abstract

Racial minority status in the USA has been found as a risk factor of psychological distress. Serious psychological distress can lead to high personal and healthcare costs across different disease categories, life experiences and age cohort. This study aims to examine the interaction effect of race and age on psychological distress among non-Hispanic White, Asian, Black and Latino adults. This study uses data from a random sample of 43,672 adults aged 18 and older living in California, collected by the California Health Interview Survey in 2009. Younger Black respondents had the greatest prevalence of psychological distress, while the elderly White respondents had the lowest. Middle-aged Asian respondents reported a significantly smaller prevalence of psychological distress than middle-aged White respondents. Elderly Asian and Latino respondents were more likely to experience serious psychological distress than elderly White and Black respondents. There was no statistical difference in the prevalence of serious psychological distress between elderly White and Black respondents. The results of this study support our hypotheses concerning racial and age differences in serious psychological distress. The association between race and serious psychological distress was dependent on respondent's age group.

Keywords:

• age
• ethnicity
• race
• distress
• stress

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be found at http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/data/Pages/overview.aspx

Notes on contributors

Thanh V. Tran, PhD, MA, MSSW is Professor of social work at Boston College. His research includes cross-cultural measurement, and various issues of health and mental health among minority populations.

Rosanna DeMarco, PhD, PHCNS-BC, APHN-BC, ACRN, FAAN is Chair & Professor at University of Massachusetts Boston Department of Nursing College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Her research has examined through initial CBPR engagement, gender-sensitive and culturally relevant prevention (secondary and tertiary) intervention methods in a group disproportionately affected by HIV and health disparities.

Keith Chan, PhD, MSW is Assistant Professor at the School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, State University of New York. Dr. Chan's research focuses on the intersection of race and ethnicity with acculturation and health among Asian Americans.

Thuc-Nhi Nguyen, MA, MSW is a doctoral candidate under Professor Thanh V Tran's supervision and mentoring. She is completing a dissertation focusing on health acculturation and health utilization among Asian Americans.