Racial differences in Financial Hardship and depressive symptoms among older adults.

TitleRacial differences in Financial Hardship and depressive symptoms among older adults.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of PublicationForthcoming
AuthorsMarshall, GL, Thorpe, RJ, Bruce, MA
JournalCommunity Mental Health Journal
ISSN Number1573-2789
KeywordsDepressive symptoms, Financial hardship, Minority aging, Racial differences
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between three specific indicators of financial hardship (difficulty paying bills, food insecurity, reduced medication use due to cost) and depressive symptoms by race.

METHODS: This was a cross sectional study using the Health and Retirement Study to analyze the data by conducting a logistic regression (N = 3014).

RESULTS: When stratified by race, White participants who were food insecure had nearly a 3.0 higher odds of high depressive symptoms (95% CI: 1.59-5.51) and African Americans who took less medication due to cost had a 5.1 higher odds of reporting higher depressive symptoms (95% CI: 2.30-11.2) compared to those who did not report these hardships.

CONCLUSIONS: This research highlights the important role expanded socioeconomic measures such as hardship play in the lives of older adult populations. It further elucidates the differences in the specific measures of hardship that impact older adults by race.

DOI10.1007/s10597-022-00965-3
Citation Key12373
PubMed ID35438405
Grant List5K01AG048416-03 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States