Tennessee is a state in the United States South region, which is disproportionately burdened with higher levels of chronic disease and mental health disorders. Despite its unique cultural heritage and close-knit communities, the region faces a range of challenges related to access to mental health services, stigma, social and economic factors that can negatively impact mental health outcomes. Racial disparities in mental health among Black people are a significant challenge in the region that requires urgent attention. There is a need for increased funding for mental health initiatives in rural and underserved areas of Tennessee. The proposed study examines the association between physical health and depression among Blacks in Tennessee. We used cross-sectional data from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System a nationally representative U.S. telephone-based survey of adults aged 18 years and extracted data for participants who self-identified as race/ethnicity Black, and who reside in Tennessee (n=476). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to test the association number of past month physically unhealthy days and depression (outcome). We controlled for income, race/ethnicity, educational status, gender, health insurance status, and age. Results indicate that 19.9% (n=195) reported having been diagnosed with depression, while 25.0% (n=119) reported 1-14 physically unhealthy days in the past month, and 15.3% (n=73) reported 15-30 unhealthy days. Our logistic regression analysis revealed that 15-30 physically unhealthy days (OR=4.47, 95% CI, 2.37, 8.40), 1-14 physically unhealthy days (OR=3.59, 95% CI, 2.07, 6.24), and female gender (OR=2.00, 95% CI, 1.14, 3.49). The findings reveal a strong association between physically unhealthy days and depression among Black people in Tennessee. Greater efforts to address both poor physical health and mental health among Blacks are essential. Efforts to improve access to mental health services, reduce mental health stigma, and address social and economic factors that can negatively impact mental health outcomes are essential to addressing this challenge, particularly among Blacks in Tennessee.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:asrf-2198 |
| Date | 25 April 2023 |
| Creators | Mamudu, Saudikatu, Ahuja, Manik |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Appalachian Student Research Forum |
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