Background

In March 2020, the novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic. In May 2020, George Floyd was murdered, catalyzing a national racial reckoning. In the Southern United States, these events occurred in the context of a history of racism and high rates of poverty and discrimination, especially among racially and ethnically minoritized populations.

Objectives

In this study, we examine social vulnerabilities, the perceived impacts of COVID-19 and the national racial reckoning, and how these are associated with depression symptoms in the South.

Methods

Data were collected from 961 adults between June and November 2020 as part of an online survey study on family well-being during COVID-19. The sample was majority female (87.2%) and consisted of 661 White participants, 143 Black participants, and 157 other racial and ethnic minoritized participants. Existing social vulnerability, perceived impact of COVID-19 and racial violence and protests on families, and depressive symptoms were assessed. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to predict variance in depressive symptoms.

Results

Half of the sample (52%) reported a negative impact of COVID-19, and 66% reported a negative impact of national racial violence/protests. Depressive symptoms were common with 49.8% meeting the cutoff for significant depressive symptoms; Black participants had lower levels of depressive symptoms. Results from the hierarchical regression analysis indicate social vulnerabilities and the perceived negative impact of COVID-19 and racial violence/protests each contribute to variance in depressive symptoms. Race-specific sensitivity analysis clarified distinct patterns in predictors of depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

People in the South report being negatively impacted by the confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of racial violence/protests in 2020, though patterns differ by racial group. These events, on top of pre-existing social vulnerabilities, help explain depressive symptoms in the South during 2020.

中文翻译：

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社会脆弱性、COVID-19、种族暴力和抑郁症状：美国南部的一项横断面研究

背景

2020 年 3 月，新型 2019 冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 被宣布为大流行病。2020 年 5 月，乔治·弗洛伊德被谋杀，引发了一场全国性的种族清算。在美国南部，这些事件是在种族主义历史和高贫困率和歧视的背景下发生的，特别是在种族和族裔少数群体中。

目标

在这项研究中，我们研究了社会脆弱性、COVID-19 的感知影响和全国种族清算，以及这些与南方抑郁症状的关系。

方法

作为 COVID-19 期间家庭福祉在线调查研究的一部分，我们从 2020 年 6 月至 11 月期间收集了 961 名成年人的数据。样本大多数为女性 (87.2%)，包括 661 名白人参与者、143 名黑人参与者和 157 名其他种族和少数族裔参与者。评估了现有的社会脆弱性、COVID-19 的感知影响以及种族暴力和抗议对家庭的影响，以及抑郁症状。分层回归分析用于预测抑郁症状的方差。

结果

一半的样本 (52%) 报告了 COVID-19 的负面影响，66% 的样本报告了全国种族暴力/抗议的负面影响。抑郁症状很常见，49.8% 的人达到了显着抑郁症状的临界值；黑人参与者的抑郁症状水平较低。层次回归分析的结果表明，社会脆弱性以及对 COVID-19 和种族暴力/抗议的负面影响的感知都会导致抑郁症状的差异。种族特异性敏感性分析阐明了抑郁症状预测因素的不同模式。

结论

南方人民报告称，2020 年 COVID-19 大流行和种族暴力/抗议活动的共同影响受到了负面影响，尽管不同种族群体的模式有所不同。除了先前存在的社会脆弱性之外，这些事件有助于解释 2020 年南方的抑郁症状。