African American women's beliefs about mental illness, stigma, and preferred coping behaviors.

Full Abstract

We examined African American women's representations/beliefs about mental illness, preferred coping behaviors if faced with mental illness, whether perceived stigma was associated with treatment-seeking, and if so, whether it was related to beliefs and coping preference, and whether these variables differed by age group. Participants were 185 community-dwelling African American women 25 to 85 years of age. Results indicated the women believed that mental illness is caused by several factors, including family-related stress and social stress due to racism, is cyclical, and has serious consequences but can be controlled by treatment. Participants endorsed low perceptions of stigma. Major preferred coping strategies included praying and seeking medical and mental health care. Age differences were found in all variables except stigma.

Author information

Author/s: Ward, Earlise C (EC); Heidrich, Susan M (SM);

Affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, 600 Highland Avenue, K6/340 Clinical Science Center, Madison, WI 53792, USA.

Grants: K12 HD049077 (Agency:NICHD NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Research in nursing & health (Res Nurs Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 32 (issue 5) : pp 480-92

Dates: Created 2009/09/15; Completed 2009/09/24;

PMID: 19650070, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/24/2009, IMS Date: )

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