%0 Journal Article %J J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci %D 2023 %T Everyday Discrimination, Neighborhood Perceptions, and Incidence of Activity Limitations Among Middle-Aged and Older African Americans. %A Qin, Weidi %A Nguyen, Ann W %A Wang, Yi %A Hamler, Tyrone C %A Wang, Fei %K Activities of Daily Living %K Aged %K Black or African American %K Humans %K Incidence %K Middle Aged %K Residence Characteristics %K Retirement %X

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the relationship between everyday discrimination, neighborhood perceptions, and the incidence of daily activity limitations (i.e., activities of daily living [ADL] and instrumental activities of daily living [IADL]) among middle-aged and older African Americans. This study also examines whether neighborhood perceptions moderate the association between discrimination and the incidence of daily activity limitations.

METHODS: Data were from the 2006 to 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. African Americans aged 50 or older free of ADL limitations (N = 1,934) and IADL limitations (N = 2,007) at baseline were selected. Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed to test the study aims. Multiple imputations were applied to handle missing data.

RESULTS: One-unit increase in everyday discrimination was associated with a 25% (p < .05) higher risk of ADL limitation onset. Perceived neighborhood social cohesion and physical disadvantage moderated the association between discrimination and IADL limitation onset.

DISCUSSION: Everyday discrimination represents a significant stressor that negatively affects older African Americans' performance of daily activities. Community-level efforts that improve neighborhood perceptions are needed to alleviate the negative effects of discrimination on the incidence of activity limitations.

%B J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci %V 78 %P 866-879 %G eng %N 5 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36661210?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1093/geronb/gbad001 %0 Journal Article %J The Journals of Gerontology: Series A %D 2022 %T Neighborhood Characteristics and Inflammation among Older Black Americans: The Moderating Effects of Hopelessness and Pessimism. %A Ann W Nguyen %A Harry Owen Taylor %A Karen D Lincoln %A Qin, Weidi %A Tyrone C Hamler %A Wang, Fei %A Uchechi A Mitchell %K C-reactive protein %K cognitive disposition %K neighborhood physical disadvantage %K neighborhood social cohesion %X

BACKGROUND: Research documents the adverse health effects of systemic inflammation. Overall, older Black Americans tend to have higher inflammation than older non-Hispanic white adults. Given that inflammation is related to a range of chronic health problems that disproportionately affect Blacks compared to whites, this racial disparity in inflammation may contribute to racial disparities in particular chronic health problems. Thus, a better understanding of its determinants in the older Black population is of critical importance. This analysis examined the association between neighborhood characteristics and inflammation in a national sample of older non-Hispanic Black Americans. An additional aim of this study was to determine whether hopelessness and pessimism moderates the association between neighborhood characteristics and inflammation.

METHODS: A sample of older non-Hispanic Black Americans aged 60+ were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (N=1,004). Neighborhood characteristics included neighborhood physical disadvantage and neighborhood social cohesion. Inflammation was assessed by C-reactive protein (CRP).

RESULTS: The analyses indicated that neighborhood physical disadvantage and social cohesion were not associated with CRP. Hopelessness and pessimism moderated the association between neighborhood physical disadvantage and CRP.

CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge regarding the role of hopelessness and pessimism as moderator in the neighborhood-inflammation association can inform cognitive-behavioral interventions targeted at changes in cognition patterns.

%B The Journals of Gerontology: Series A %V 77 %P e82-e88 %G eng %N 2 %R 10.1093/gerona/glab121 %0 Journal Article %J Innovation in Aging %D 2020 %T Social Support, Everyday Discrimination, and Depressive Symptoms Among Older African Americans: A Longitudinal Study %A Qin, Weidi %A Ann W Nguyen %A Mouzon, Dawne M %A Tyrone C Hamler %A Wang, Fei %K Black older adults %K family social support networks %K friendship social support networks %K Mental Health %K unfair treatment %X The purpose of the study is to explore the long-term effects of everyday discrimination on depressive symptoms among older African Americans, as well as the moderating role of social support in this association.Mixed-effects negative binomial regression analyses were performed on data selected from six waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2016; baseline N=1144). The number of depressive symptoms was calculated based on an 8-item CES-D measure. Everyday discrimination was measured by using a 6-item scale. Contact with and perceived support from extended family and friends were assessed.Older African Americans who experienced more frequent perceived discrimination had more depressive symptoms over time. Significant interactions between discrimination and perceived support from extended family and friends were found, indicating that among older African Americans who reported higher support from extended family and friends, perceived discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms over time. However, perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms were not longitudinally related among those who reported lower levels of perceived support.This is one of the few studies to examine the effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms over time and the first longitudinal study to test the role of social support in coping with discrimination in older African Americans. This study extends cross-sectional works on discrimination and mental health, indicating that experiences of discrimination can result in worse mental health over time. The significant interactions are consistent with the resource mobilization framework, which suggests that individuals who are more negatively affected by discrimination (more depressive symptoms) are more likely to reach out to friends and family to cope with discrimination.Older African Americans who experience more discrimination and depressive symptoms are more likely to seek support from extended family and friends for coping with discrimination over time. The study findings suggest that older African Americans may benefit from interventions based on stress coping resources via support from extended family and friends in coping with discrimination. %B Innovation in Aging %V 4 %P igaa032 %@ 2399-5300 %G eng %N 5 %R 10.1093/geroni/igaa032