Vicarious Racism and Links to Negative Emotions and Mental Health in US Adults: A Scoping Review.

Research on vicarious racial discrimination and its relation to mental health outcomes has increased over the past decade. However, the literature on vicarious racial discrimination suffers from conceptual ambiguity. As such, we conducted a scoping review to help clarify the state of research on vicarious racial discrimination as a risk factor for mental health problems across ethno-racially minoritized adult populations. We systematically searched ten databases for articles published from 2010 to 2023, using the terms 'vicarious discrimination' and 'mental health', following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We then screened and extracted data and presented a synthesis of findings. We selected 33 studies to include in the scoping review. All studies were conducted in the US, except for one study conducted in Australia and one in New Zealand. Samples ranged in size from small (n = 81) to large (n = 64,041). There was an increase in the number of publications over the past decade, particularly following 2020. Several studies focused on Black Americans and Asian Americans, though other studies included multiple racial/ethnic groups. Studies did not consistently use a standard instrument to measure vicarious racial discrimination nor a consistent analytic approach to isolate its effects. The most common mental health outcomes included depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and psychological distress. Vicarious racial discrimination was generally related to greater risk for mental health problems, with a couple of studies showing null findings. The literature on vicarious racial discrimination requires greater clarity and nuance when describing various types of vicarious racial discrimination. Vicarious racial discrimination is prevalent and is related to a range of mental health problems impacting ethno-racial minoritized populations. Potential mediators such as self-esteem and hypervigilance, along with moderators such as social support and service utilization, are important topics of future research.

Racism-related stress is a root cause of racial and ethnic disparities in mental health outcomes. An individual may be exposed to racism directly or vicariously by hearing about or observing people of the same racial and/or ethnic group experience racism. Although the healthcare setting is a venue by which healthcare workers experience both direct and vicarious racism, few studies have assessed the associations between direct and vicarious racism and mental health outcomes among healthcare workers. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the relationships between direct and vicarious racism and symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety among healthcare workers in the USA in 2022. Our sample consisted of 259 healthcare workers identifying as a racialized minority, including 68 (26.3%) who identified as mixed-race, 61 (23.6%) East Asian, 36 (13.9%) Black, 33 (12.7%) South Asian, 22 (8.5%) Southeast Asian, 21 (8.1%) Middle Eastern/North African, and 18 (6.9%) another race. The mean age was 37.9years (SD 10.1). In multivariable linear regression models that adjusted for demographics, work stressors, and social stressors, we found that increased reporting of vicarious racism was associated with greater symptoms of anxiety (B = 0.066, standard error = 0.034, p = .049). We did not identify significant relationships between vicarious and direct racism and symptoms of posttraumatic stress or depression in the fully adjusted models. Our findings should be considered by academic health systems to mitigate the negative impact of racism on healthcare workers' mental health.

Prior research suggests that vicarious (i.e., indirect or second-hand) racism is harmful to psychological health; moreover, the psychological impacts of vicarious racism may be especially distressing for Black women. Nevertheless, because much of the vicarious racism and mental health literature has been quantitative, the broader contexts in which vicarious racism occurs are poorly understood. Although qualitative literature has explored vicarious racism, it has focused on Black mothers and their children's experiences of racism. We build on both literatures to analyze vicarious racism accounts reported by Black women in early adulthood. Using data from 32 respondents, the study provides greater context for experiences of vicarious racism (e.g., who are the targets and perpetrators, settings in which vicarious racism occurred), reports what happens in the "aftermath" of vicarious racism, and documents psycho-emotional responses that expand beyond traditional mental health indicators (e.g., major depression). Implications of findings for vicarious racism research are discussed.

Interplay between social media use, sleep quality, and mental health in youth: A systematic review

A Cross-sectional Study of Perceived Stress and Racial Discrimination Among a National Sample of Young Men Who Have Sex With Men.

BackgroundRacism is increasingly recognised as a significant health determinant that contributes to health inequalities. In Australia efforts have been made to bridge the recognised health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians. This systematic scoping review aimed to assess, synthesise, and analyse the evidence in Australia about the impacts of racism on the mental and physical health of Aboriginal and Torrens Strait Islander peoples.MethodsA systematic search was conducted to locate Australian studies in English published between 2000 and 2020. Five electronic databases were used: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science and the Australia’s National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. The search strategy included a combination of key words related with racism, mental health, physical health and Indigenous people. Data were extracted based on review questions and findings were synthesized in a narrative summary.ResultsOf total 338 searched studies from five databases, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria for narrative synthesis where eight were cross-sectional studies and four prospective cohorts. General mental health and general health perception were the most frequently studied outcomes followed by child behaviour, smoking and substance consumption and specific health conditions. The prevalence of racism varied between 6.9 and 97%. The most common health outcomes associated with racism were general poor mental health and poor general health perception. More specific health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, child behaviour, asthma, increased BMI and smoking were also associated with racism but were analysed by a limited number of studies. Three studies analysed psychological distress, negative mental health, sleeping difficulties and negative perceived mental health according to severity of exposition to racism.ConclusionRacism is associated with negative overall mental and negative general health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Strategies to prevent all forms and sources of racism are necessary to move forward to bridging the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. Further research is needed to understand in more detail the impact of racism from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander definition of health and wellbeing.

Race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) is a psychological response to racial discrimination among individuals with marginalized racial/ethnic identities, but the literature about how different forms of racial discrimination contribute to RBTS is lacking. We compared the effects of major, everyday, and vicarious racial discrimination on RBTS and evaluated the associations between ethnic-racial identity (ERI) and RBTS. Analyses used cross-sectional survey data from Black, Asian, and Latine young adults (N = 1,342, Mage = 25.9 years) collected in 2022. Demographic variables; major, everyday, and vicarious racial discrimination; ERI commitment and exploration; and RBTS were assessed. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify correlates of RBTS. Everyday, β =.37, p <.001; vicarious, β =.16, p <.001; and major racial discrimination, β =.16, p =.004, predicted RBTS. Neither ERI commitment nor ERI exploration was significantly associated with RBTS. Race did not moderate the associations between major, everyday, or vicarious discrimination and RBTS, highlighting that Black, Asian, and Latine young adults appear to be equally at risk. As most vicarious racial discrimination and RBTS research has focused on Black samples, we expand the literature by including Latine and Asian young adults. Our observation that vicarious racial discrimination was a similarly strong predictor of RBTS compared to everyday and major racial discrimination underscores the importance of its inclusion in research focused on discrimination and mental health. Taken together, clinical assessment should focus on questions related to diverse experiences of racial discrimination for individuals with marginalized racial identities.

BackgroundIdentifying people with early and late onset of chronic conditions might help target the subpopulations that are more vulnerable to negative mental, physical and functional health outcomes. The current study aimed to examine the association of early and late onset of chronic single and multiple morbidities with self-perceived physical and mental health, functional limitations and physical inactivity among older Indian adults.MethodsCross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1 (2017–2018). The total sample size for the present study was 31,386 older adults age 60 years or older. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to establish the association between the outcomes (poor perceived physical/mental health, functional difficulty and physical inactivity) and explanatory variables (early [ = < 50 years of age] and late [> 50 years]) onset of chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, heart disease, stroke, cancer, lung disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and psychiatric disease).ResultsOverall, 24.21% of the sample population had poor self-perceived physical health, whereas 8.67% of participants had poor self-perceived mental health. The prevalence of difficulty in ADL, difficulty in IADL, and physical inactivity was 23.77%, 48.36%, and 68.9%, respectively. Odds of poor perceived mental health were higher for the respondents with early as well as late onset of hypertension, stroke, and arthritis; while individuals with late onset of diabetes, and heart disease had higher odds of poor perceived mental health than those without chronic disease. Individuals with early onset of single morbidity were more likely to report ADL difficulty (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.33, confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–1.67); while those with late onset of single (AOR: 1.34, CI: 1.17–1.53) and multimorbidity (AOR: 1.91, CI: 1.63–2.24) were more likely to report ADL difficulty compared with individuals without morbidity. Individuals with early as well as late-onset of multimorbidity had more than two times higher odds of reporting poor physical health, poor mental health and IADL difficulty compared with individuals without chronic disease.ConclusionsThe present study revealed that early and/or late onset of chronic single and/or multiple morbidities significantly predicted poor self-perceived physical and mental health, functional limitations and physical inactivity among older Indian adults. The findings further suggest that late onset of chronic diseases such as cancer and stroke and multi-morbidity had stronger associations with physical inactivity that may help identify high risk groups for screening and support.

To assess the medium-term post-Katrina mental and physical health of New Orleans residents and to determine demographic, social and environmental factors that predict poor mental and physical health. Major disasters can have a negative impact on the health of survivors for prolonged periods. Although the initial and short-term impacts of Hurricane Katrina have been well described, the medium-term impacts have not been studied as thoroughly. Cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample (n = 222) of residents in Gentilly area of New Orleans completed questionnaires between 16 and 18 December 2006. Multivariate logistic regression and multiple regression models were employed to determine predictors of poor mental and physical health. Poor mental health was reported by 52% of the respondents. Pre-Katrina depression [odds ratio (OR) = 19.1], post-Katrina depression (OR = 7.2), poor physical health (OR = 5.6), feeling unsafe from crime (OR = 4.3) and female gender (OR = 2.6) were significant predictor variables of poor mental health. Twenty-four percent of the variance in number of days of poor mental health was explained by the independent variables (R(2) = 0.24; p < 0.001). Poor physical health was reported by 48% of the respondents. Poor mental health (OR = 3.9), lack of money to buy food (OR = 2.7) and pre-Katrina arthritis (OR = 2.6) were significant predictor variables of poor physical health. Twenty-three percent of the variance in number of days of poor physical health was explained by the independent variables (R(2) = 0.23; p < 0.001). Approximately half of the New Orleans residents continue to experience poor mental and physical health 15 months after Katrina. The results support focusing post-Katrina efforts to protect residents from crime, improve mental health services to the depressed and improve food supply to the poor. Identifying predictors of poor mental and physical health may help clinicians and policy makers to focus their efforts in ameliorating the post-disaster health sequelae.

Based on decades of study, researchers have inferred that military service is associated with negative mental health outcomes. Different components of military service, such as deployment, combat, blast, and head injury, have been posited as possible causes. There is additional literature in the sports realm regarding the effect of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on mental health. Some literature to date supports these suppositions, whereas others disagree. The present study is a secondary analysis of data to add to the understanding of these complex relationships. 452 young Marine Corps officers (81.46% [n = 334] male; 25.69 ± 4.67 years old) enrolled at The Basic School or Marine Corps University completed an online survey of valid and reliable psychometrics and demographic information. General and generalized linear models, based on variable distribution, were built to test the effects of mTBI history, blast, deployment, and combat exposures on positive (social wellbeing) and negative (moral injury, depression, post-traumatic stress) mental health symptom variance. Combat had the most consistent effects on negative mental health: moral injury (Wald χ2(1) = 7.25), depression (Wald χ2(1) = 5.90), and post-traumatic stress (Wald χ2(1) = 17.58), all P-values < .05. Resilience tended to have a positive relationship with social wellbeing and negative relationship with moral injury, depression, and post-traumatic stress across models, including models that included various military stressors. Limited statistical evidence was found supporting its buffering effect against said stressors. Findings from this young and healthy Marine Corps officer sample concur that the established findings that combat exposure is associated with poorer mental health, and resilience is associated with better mental health. Further research differentiating when, how, and for whom routine military exposures result in negative mental health consequences can directly inform practitioners treating such symptoms and policy around duty cycles and recovery.

Globally, the prevalence of mental health problems is high and seems to be increasing and it estimated that 10-20% of pregnant women experience poor perinatal mental health. In the future, more children may grow up in families where one or both parents are struggling with mental health problems. Poor mental health is linked to wider determinants of health as low social position increase the risk of poor mental health and may limit access to care. Moreover, poor mental health can negatively impact the social position and resources of individuals and families as well as child health, thus representing an important public health challenge. The foundation of life-long health is laid before birth and in early childhood, and a better understanding of the impact of poor parental health and other determinants of early child health is crucial. This workshop aims to A) offer new insights on the impact of early child health of poor parental health in the context of Denmark, a Nordic welfare state with strong principles of free and equal access to health care services. Also, B) it encourages a discussion about the main challenges and new ways to support families and through this improve short- and long-term child health and potentially also parental health. The knowledge presented as point of departure for discussions, derives from two new Danish studies. One is a qualitative study of the experiences of pregnant women/new parents receiving targeted, community-based perinatal services due to mental health problems. This gives voice to parents' own perspectives of the services they have offered and their lived experiences with poor mental health and parenthood. The other study is the epidemiological CoVer-P project (Children of Vulnerable Parents) based on a cohort of all live-born children born in Denmark 2000-2016 and their parents and a large range of data from Danish nationwide registers. This large cohort have allowed studies that address existing knowledge gabs by examining different severity levels of parental mental health problems, the impact of also the father's mental health and the interaction between mental health and socioeconomic position. The workshop will start with a short introduction and invitation to share thoughts it's topic from the chair (5 min) followed by four 10-minut presentations. First, Frederiksen shares her insights on pregnant women/new parents with mental health problems and their lived experiences. Secondly, Knudsen &amp; Christesen analyse the effect of maternal mental health and socioeconomic position on the risk of preterm birth. Thirdly, Christensen reports new knowledge about perinatal outcomes of infants born to mothers with poor mental health. Fourth, Heuckendorff describes the impact of the mental health as well as socioeconomic position of both mother and father on child morbidity, age 1-6. In the final part of the workshop (15 min), the chair will introduce and moderate a general discussion of aim B with the audience Key messages Share knowledge on how poor parental mental health may affect perinatal and child negatively, presenting an important public health challenge. Raise awareness about the needs and perspective of parents with poor mental health and raise discussion about how to improve services and support.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine if differences exist in healthcare expenditures of older United States (US) adults with pain based on self-reported mental health status, which is important to know...

To perform scoping review of the existing literature available specific to child and adolescent mental health in Tanzania. An extensive literature search of PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE and EMBASE was undertaken to identify studies that focussed specifically on mental illness in children and young people in Tanzania. This included neurological and functional disorders, affective disorders, psychosis, epidemiological, intervention and treatment-based studies. Qualitative analysis of the studies was then undertaken to assess what is currently known about the subject and how reliable this information is and to identify areas for further research. Of 23 studies were included in the final synthesis, which could be broadly split into studies focussing on the prevalence and incidence of child and adolescent mental illness, hypothesised causes and correlations, identified treatments and interventions and qualitative studies of human experience. There is a dearth of published research regarding child and adolescent mental health in Tanzania. Although some high-quality studies allow us good insight into the epidemiology of mental illness, interventional studies are often small and low-power, and significant correlational relationships are yet to be drawn. There is significant scope for further child and adolescent mental health research in Tanzania.

Background Young migrants face multiple challenges that can affect their mental, sexual and reproductive health. Objective To assess the prevalence of self-reported poor mental health and its associated demographic, post-migration and sexual risk behaviour factors among young migrants (aged 15–25) in Sweden. Methods Data were drawn from a cross-sectional survey conducted with migrants aged 15–65 years old in Sweden between December 2018 and November 2019 (n = 6449). Among these, 990 participants aged 15–25 were eligible for the study. Mental health was measured using the Refugee Health Screener-13. Missing data indicator analysis and multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to estimate the association between mental health, sexual risk behaviour, demographic and migration-related variables. Results Of the 990 participants, 59% reported poor mental health. Participants reporting poor mental health were more likely to be female (AOR:1.63, 95% CI:1.18–2.25), to have lived in Sweden more than three years (AOR:2.16, 95% CI:1.17–3.97), to engage in any sexual risk behaviour (AOR:1.99, 95% CI:1.25–3.17), and to live alone (AOR:1.95, 95% CI:1.25–3.03) or with friends they already knew (AOR:1.60, 95% CI:1.37–4.91). People arriving from the Americas (AOR:0.54, 95% CI:0.33–0.88), Asia (AOR:0.44, 95% CI:0.22–0.86), Europe (AOR:0.30, 95% CI:0.14–0.61) and Africa (AOR 0.37, 95% CI: 0.23–0.60) had lower odds of poor mental health than those arriving from Syria. Conclusion The prevalence of poor mental health among young migrants in Sweden was high, with specific subgroups (women, asylum seekers, people arriving from Syria, and those residing longer in Sweden) being particularly vulnerable. Our results indicate the interconnectedness between poor mental health and sexual risk behaviour in this population. Thus, policies targeting young migrants should ensure that healthcare services screen for both poor sexual and mental health at the same time.

Poor mental health among parents or primary caregivers is associated with poor mental and physical health in children; however, research often excludes the mental health of male caregivers including fathers. This analysis examines associations between caregiver mental health by caregiver sex and child health indicators (i.e., child's general health; child's history of diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorders (MBDDs)). Using parent-reported data on 97,728 US children aged 0-17 years from the National Survey of Children's Health (2016-2018), we estimated nationally representative, weighted proportions of children with parents or primary caregivers with poor mental health by caregiver sex, prevalence ratios (PR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for child health indicators by caregiver mental health and sex. Nationally, 7.2% of children had at least one caregiver with poor mental health; 2.8% had any male caregiver; and 5.1% had any female caregiver with poor mental health. Compared to children with all male caregivers with good mental health, children with any male caregiver with poor mental health were more likely to have poor general health (PR: 4.9, CI: 3.0-8.0) and have ≥1 diagnosed MBDDs (PR: 1.9, CI: 1.7-2.1); this remained significant when controlling for caregiver and household characteristics. Findings were similar when comparing children with any female caregiver with poor mental health to children with all female caregivers with good mental health. Our findings support previously published recommendations that promoting mental health among all types of caregivers by addressing gaps in research on fathers and male caregivers may further promote child health and wellness.