Associations between social determinants of health, perceived discrimination, and body mass index on symptoms of depression among young African American mothers.
Eugenia Millender, John P Barile, Jessica R Bagneris and 5 others
PMID 33593522WHAT IT FOUND
Depression scores showed no change over 18 months, except age was associated with a higher score.
Higher initial BMI and more unfair treatment were linked to higher initial depression scores.
Key findings
01Higher initial BMI was associated with higher initial symptoms of depression (b = .12, p = .02).
02More major discrimination (unfair treatment) was associated with higher initial symptoms of depression (b = 1.11, p = .02).
03Depression did not change over time, except age was associated with a higher BDI score.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The analysis used secondary data, so it could not follow discrimination over time. Only 219 of the 250 mothers in the parent study had complete data for the model. The sample was limited to mothers who spoke English, had a child in early education, and had no mental illness that would interfere with measurements. BMI was used instead of waist circumference, which the authors say is not the most optimal assessment for African American women. The study measured depressive symptoms only, not other forms of stress or other cardiovascular variables.
Declared interests
The authors declare no competing financial interest. The article is listed as NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that discrimination or BMI caused depression. The study measured associations with depression scores, not a treatment effect.