Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103443

Von E. Nebbitt, MSW, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings, Dr, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, 314-935-6600, vn1@gwbmail.wustl.edu and Margaret Lombe, PhD, Graduate School of Social Work, Boston College, McGuinn Hall, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02467.

Introduction: The mental health of children and adolescents is a significant public health concern. Healthy People 2010, indicates that one in five youth has a diagnosable mental disorder each year (HHS, 2000). Nevertheless, research is limited on depressive symptoms and their environmental correlates among low-income African American adolescents (Shaffer, Forehand & Kotchick, 2002).

Methods: This study collected data from 238 African American adolescents ages 13 to 19 living in public housing. Two trained African American public housing residents recruited youth and collected data. Hierarchical regression was used to investigate the link between environmental factors and depressive symptoms.

Results: Results show that males have a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than females. Depressive symptoms had a positive significant relationship with neighborhood risk factors. The relationship between neighborhood risk and depressive symptoms was exacerbated by involvement with delinquent peers. Parental factors and conventional beliefs buffered the relationship between neighborhood risk and depressive symptoms.

Discussion: Interventions to prevent depression among African American adolescents living in public housing developments must reduce neighborhood risk factors and build on protective factors. Interventions must pay special attention to the needs of African American males considering they have a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than females, placing them at higher risk for major depression disorder and suicide.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

• Identify neighborhood risk factors associate with depressive symptoms among African American adolescents.
• Understand how exposure to delinquent peers impacts the relationship between neighborhood risk and depressive symptoms.
• Understand the protective effect of parental factors and conventional beliefs on depressive symptoms.

Keywords: Adolescents, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation