IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v281y2021ics0277953621004172.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evaluating hypothesized explanations for the Black-white depression paradox: A critical review of the extant evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Pamplin, John R.
  • Bates, Lisa M.

Abstract

The Black-white Depression paradox, the lower prevalence of major depression among non-Hispanic Black (relative to non-Hispanic white) individuals despite their greater exposure to major life stressors, is a phenomenon that remains unexplained. Despite a decade plus of research, there is little clarity as to whether the paradoxical observations are an invalid finding, spuriously produced by selection bias, information bias, or confounding, or are a valid finding, representative of a true racial patterning of depression in the population. Though both artefactual and etiologic mechanisms have been tested, a lack of synthesis of the extant evidence has contributed towards an unclear picture of the validity of the paradox and produced challenges for researchers in determining which proposed mechanisms show promise, which have been debunked, and which require further study. The objective of this critical review is to assess the state of the literature regarding explanations for the Black-white depression paradox by examining some of the more prominent hypothesized explanatory mechanisms that have been proposed and assessing the state of the evidence in support of them. Included mechanisms were selected for their perceived dominance in the literature and the existence of at least one, direct empirical test using DSM major depression as the outcome. This review highlights the very limited evidence in support of any of the extant putative mechanisms, suggesting that investigators should redirect efforts towards identifying novel mechanisms, and/or empirically testing those which show promise but to date have been relatively understudied. We conclude with a discussion of the broader implications of the evidence for well-accepted social theories and raise questions regarding the use of DSM major depression to assess mental health burden in Black communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Pamplin, John R. & Bates, Lisa M., 2021. "Evaluating hypothesized explanations for the Black-white depression paradox: A critical review of the extant evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:281:y:2021:i:c:s0277953621004172
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114085
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953621004172
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114085?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boardman, Jason D. & Alexander, Kari B., 2011. "Stress trajectories, health behaviors, and the mental health of black and white young adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(10), pages 1659-1666, May.
    2. Dohrenwend, B.P. & Dohrenwend, B.S., 1982. "Perspectives on the past and future of psychiatric epidemiology. The 1981 Rema Lapouse Lecture," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 72(11), pages 1271-1279.
    3. Williams, D.R. & Neighbors, H.W. & Jackson, J.S., 2003. "Racial/ethnic discrimination and health: Findings from community studies," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(2), pages 200-208.
    4. Rosenfield, Sarah, 2012. "Triple jeopardy? Mental health at the intersection of gender, race, and class," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(11), pages 1791-1801.
    5. Keyes, Katherine M. & Vo, Thomas & Wall, Melanie M. & Caetano, Raul & Suglia, Shakira F. & Martins, Silvia S. & Galea, Sandro & Hasin, Deborah, 2015. "Racial/ethnic differences in use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana: Is there a cross-over from adolescence to adulthood?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 132-141.
    6. Ritchey, F.J. & La Gory, M. & Fitzpatrick, K.M. & Mullis, J., 1990. "A comparison of homeless, community-wide, and selected distressed samples on the CES-Depression Scale," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 80(11), pages 1384-1386.
    7. Jackson, J.S. & Knight, K.M. & Rafferty, J.A., 2010. "Race and unhealthy behaviors: Chronic stress, the HPA Axis, and physical and mental health disparities over the life course," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(5), pages 933-939.
    8. Schwartz, Sharon & Meyer, Ilan H., 2010. "Mental health disparities research: The impact of within and between group analyses on tests of social stress hypotheses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1111-1118, April.
    9. Ellickson, P.L. & Orlando, M. & Tucker, J.S. & Klein, D.J., 2004. "From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Smoking," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(2), pages 293-299.
    10. Turner, R. Jay, 2010. "Health disparities and the stress hypothesis: A commentary on Schwartz and Meyer," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1119-1120, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pamplin, John R. & Kezios, Katrina L. & Hayes-Larson, Eleanor & Keyes, Katherine M. & Susser, Ezra S. & Factor-Litvak, Pam & Link, Bruce G. & Bates, Lisa M., 2021. "Explaining the Black-white depression paradox: Interrogating the Environmental Affordances Model," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    2. Richman, Laura Smart & Lattanner, Micah R., 2014. "Self-regulatory processes underlying structural stigma and health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 94-100.
    3. Bethany G. Everett & Jarron Saint Onge & Stefanie Mollborn, 2016. "Effects of Minority Status and Perceived Discrimination on Mental Health," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(4), pages 445-469, August.
    4. Kravitz-Wirtz, Nicole, 2016. "A discrete-time analysis of the effects of more prolonged exposure to neighborhood poverty on the risk of smoking initiation by age 25," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 79-92.
    5. Leah Drakeford & Vanessa Parks & Tim Slack & Rajeev Ramchand & Melissa Finucane & Matthew R. Lee, 2020. "Oil Spill Disruption and Problem Drinking: Assessing the Impact of Religious Context among Gulf Coast Residents," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 39(1), pages 119-146, February.
    6. Hoggard, Lori S. & Volpe, Vanessa V. & Hatton, Vanessa L. & Jones, Steven J. & Tikhonov, Aleksandr A. & Davis, Sarah E., 2023. "“Now I just need something sweet”: Racism, emotional eating, and health among African Americans," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    7. Reid, Allecia E. & Rosenthal, Lisa & Earnshaw, Valerie A. & Lewis, Tené T. & Lewis, Jessica B. & Stasko, Emily C. & Tobin, Jonathan N. & Ickovics, Jeannette R., 2016. "Discrimination and excessive weight gain during pregnancy among Black and Latina young women," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 134-141.
    8. Liat Ayalon, 2018. "Perceived Age Discrimination: A Precipitator or a Consequence of Depressive Symptoms?," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(5), pages 860-869.
    9. Johnston, David W. & Lordan, Grace, 2012. "Discrimination makes me sick! An examination of the discrimination–health relationship," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 99-111.
    10. Song, Jieun & Mailick, Marsha R. & Greenberg, Jan S., 2018. "Health of parents of individuals with developmental disorders or mental health problems: Impacts of stigma," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 152-158.
    11. Gaeul Kim & Jinmok Kim & Su-Kyoung Lee & Juho Sim & Yangwook Kim & Byung-Yoon Yun & Jin-Ha Yoon, 2020. "Multidimensional gender discrimination in workplace and depressive symptoms," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-13, July.
    12. McNeill, Lorna Haughton & Kreuter, Matthew W. & Subramanian, S.V., 2006. "Social Environment and Physical activity: A review of concepts and evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 1011-1022, August.
    13. Jemal, Alexis & Caliste, Sherika, 2022. "Work-in-progress: Focus groups evaluate and inform revisions of a socio-behavioral health intervention," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    14. Samson, Frank L., 2015. "Racial resentment and smoking," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 164-168.
    15. Jin Suk Ra & Yoon Hee Cho, 2018. "Role of social normative beliefs as a moderating factor in smoking intention among adolescent girls in Korea," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(4), pages 530-536, December.
    16. Caryn N. Bell & Jordan Kerr & Jessica L. Young, 2019. "Associations between Obesity, Obesogenic Environments, and Structural Racism Vary by County-Level Racial Composition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-17, March.
    17. Dušan Drbohlav & Dagmar Dzúrová, 2017. "Social Hazards as Manifested Workplace Discrimination and Health (Vietnamese and Ukrainian Female and Male Migrants in Czechia)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-16, October.
    18. Armijos Bravo, Grace & Vall Castelló, Judit, 2021. "Terrorist attacks, Islamophobia and newborns’ health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    19. Shervin Assari, 2018. "Parental Education Better Helps White than Black Families Escape Poverty: National Survey of Children’s Health," Economies, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, May.
    20. David Mhlanga & Rufaro Garidzirai, 2020. "The Influence of Racial Differences in the Demand for Healthcare in South Africa: A Case of Public Healthcare," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-10, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:281:y:2021:i:c:s0277953621004172. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.