Discrimination, Sexual Violence, Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Support among Black Women

Athena D.F. Sherman; Andrea N. Cimino; Monique Balthazar; Kalisha Bonds Johnson; Desirée D. Burns; Angie Denisse Otiniano Verissimo; Jacquelyn C. Campbell; Kiyomi Tsuyuki; Jamila K. Stockman

doi:10.1353/hpu.2023.0004

Discrimination, Sexual Violence, Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Support among Black Women

Athena D.F. Sherman, Andrea N. Cimino, Monique Balthazar, Kalisha Bonds Johnson, Desirée D. Burns, Angie Denisse Otiniano Verissimo, Jacquelyn C. Campbell, Kiyomi Tsuyuki, Jamila K. Stockman

School of Nursing

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background. Black Americans face significant discrimination associated with mental health disorder, which may be exacerbated among sexually victimized people. Social support may buffer that relationship. Methods. Cross-sectional data from a retrospective cohort study were analyzed to examine if discrimination and sexual victimization overlap to exacerbate symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to determine the extent to which social support moderated that association among Black women living in Baltimore, Maryland [138 non-abused (no physical/ sexual victimization) and 98 abused (sexually victimized) since age 18]. Results. Symptoms of depression and PTSD were independently associated with discrimination. Multilinear regression showed social support from friends moderated the association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexually abused participants only. Conclusion. Discrimination may exacerbate symptoms of depression and PTSD more for sexually victimized Black women, but sources of informal social support may attenuate adverse effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among members of that group.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	35-57
Number of pages	23
Journal	Journal of health care for the poor and underserved
Volume	34
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2023.0004
State	Published - Feb 2023

Keywords

Black women
Depression
discrimination
post-traumatic stress disorder
racism
sexual violence
social support
victimization
women’s health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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10.1353/hpu.2023.0004

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Sherman, A. D. F., Cimino, A. N., Balthazar, M., Johnson, K. B., Burns, D. D., Verissimo, A. D. O., Campbell, J. C., Tsuyuki, K., & Stockman, J. K. (2023). Discrimination, Sexual Violence, Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Support among Black Women. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved, 34(1), 35-57. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2023.0004

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title = "Discrimination, Sexual Violence, Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Support among Black Women",

abstract = "Background. Black Americans face significant discrimination associated with mental health disorder, which may be exacerbated among sexually victimized people. Social support may buffer that relationship. Methods. Cross-sectional data from a retrospective cohort study were analyzed to examine if discrimination and sexual victimization overlap to exacerbate symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to determine the extent to which social support moderated that association among Black women living in Baltimore, Maryland [138 non-abused (no physical/ sexual victimization) and 98 abused (sexually victimized) since age 18]. Results. Symptoms of depression and PTSD were independently associated with discrimination. Multilinear regression showed social support from friends moderated the association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexually abused participants only. Conclusion. Discrimination may exacerbate symptoms of depression and PTSD more for sexually victimized Black women, but sources of informal social support may attenuate adverse effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among members of that group.",

keywords = "Black women, Depression, discrimination, post-traumatic stress disorder, racism, sexual violence, social support, victimization, women{\textquoteright}s health",

author = "Sherman, {Athena D.F.} and Cimino, {Andrea N.} and Monique Balthazar and Johnson, {Kalisha Bonds} and Burns, {Desir{\'e}e D.} and Verissimo, {Angie Denisse Otiniano} and Campbell, {Jacquelyn C.} and Kiyomi Tsuyuki and Stockman, {Jamila K.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the study participants who generously provided the data for this research. We also thank the Baltimore City Health Department for their support on this project. This research was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD Grant #R01HD077891). J. K. Stockman and K. Tsuyuki acknowledge support by the San Diego Center for AIDS Research (Grant #P30AI036214). A.D.F. Sherman acknowledges support by National Institute Of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health (Grant #K23NR020208). A.N. Cimino and J.C. Campbell acknowledge support by the Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research (Grant #P30AI094189). The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Meharry Medical College.",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1353/hpu.2023.0004",

language = "English (US)",

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pages = "35--57",

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AU - Sherman, Athena D.F.

AU - Cimino, Andrea N.

AU - Balthazar, Monique

AU - Johnson, Kalisha Bonds

AU - Burns, Desirée D.

AU - Verissimo, Angie Denisse Otiniano

AU - Campbell, Jacquelyn C.

AU - Tsuyuki, Kiyomi

AU - Stockman, Jamila K.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the study participants who generously provided the data for this research. We also thank the Baltimore City Health Department for their support on this project. This research was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD Grant #R01HD077891). J. K. Stockman and K. Tsuyuki acknowledge support by the San Diego Center for AIDS Research (Grant #P30AI036214). A.D.F. Sherman acknowledges support by National Institute Of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health (Grant #K23NR020208). A.N. Cimino and J.C. Campbell acknowledge support by the Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research (Grant #P30AI094189). The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies. Publisher Copyright: © Meharry Medical College.

PY - 2023/2

Y1 - 2023/2

N2 - Background. Black Americans face significant discrimination associated with mental health disorder, which may be exacerbated among sexually victimized people. Social support may buffer that relationship. Methods. Cross-sectional data from a retrospective cohort study were analyzed to examine if discrimination and sexual victimization overlap to exacerbate symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to determine the extent to which social support moderated that association among Black women living in Baltimore, Maryland [138 non-abused (no physical/ sexual victimization) and 98 abused (sexually victimized) since age 18]. Results. Symptoms of depression and PTSD were independently associated with discrimination. Multilinear regression showed social support from friends moderated the association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexually abused participants only. Conclusion. Discrimination may exacerbate symptoms of depression and PTSD more for sexually victimized Black women, but sources of informal social support may attenuate adverse effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among members of that group.

AB - Background. Black Americans face significant discrimination associated with mental health disorder, which may be exacerbated among sexually victimized people. Social support may buffer that relationship. Methods. Cross-sectional data from a retrospective cohort study were analyzed to examine if discrimination and sexual victimization overlap to exacerbate symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to determine the extent to which social support moderated that association among Black women living in Baltimore, Maryland [138 non-abused (no physical/ sexual victimization) and 98 abused (sexually victimized) since age 18]. Results. Symptoms of depression and PTSD were independently associated with discrimination. Multilinear regression showed social support from friends moderated the association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexually abused participants only. Conclusion. Discrimination may exacerbate symptoms of depression and PTSD more for sexually victimized Black women, but sources of informal social support may attenuate adverse effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among members of that group.

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KW - discrimination

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KW - racism

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KW - social support

KW - victimization

KW - women’s health

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Discrimination, Sexual Violence, Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Support among Black Women

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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