Stress Correlates Related to Depressive Symptoms Among Young Black Men in Southern California.

Black men experience higher levels of chronic stress, life stressors, and discrimination due to oppressive social and economic conditions. Black men are at greater risk of depression, but most published research on stress and depression has focused on Black people in general, Black women, or older Black men. We sought to determine whether discrimination, perceived stress, major life stress, daily hassles, and social capital were associated with depressive symptoms in young Black men. Survey data were collected from April 2010 to March 2012 in Southern California from a convenience sample of Black men (N = 201). We used two-sample t tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine the association of stress correlates with depressive symptoms. Logistic regression was conducted to estimate the likelihood of reporting depressive symptoms for each significant correlate. Over half of the sample reported depressive symptoms. Health status, perceived discrimination, urban hassles, perceived stress, and neighborhood trust and safety were significantly related to depressive symptoms. Those who reported higher perceived stress had higher odds of reporting depressive symptoms, whereas lower everyday discrimination experiences were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms. Future studies should consider examining the effectiveness of embedding coping mechanisms for stress, including perceived discrimination, in health interventions for young Black men to prevent or reduce depression.

Photosensitizing drug reactions.

Photosensitizing drug reactions are cutaneous eruptions that occur after exposure to ultraviolet radiation in patients using photosensitizing medications. The reactions can be broadly classified into phototoxic and photoallergic, with the former being much more common and well documented. There is an extensive list of photosensitizing medications, especially in the case of phototoxicity. The most common are amiodarone, chlorpromazine, doxycycline, hydrochlorothiazide, nalidixic acid, naproxen, piroxicam, tetracycline, thioridazine, vemurafenib, and voriconazole. Most of the medications implicated in photosensitivity share an action spectrum within the ultraviolet A range. Distinguishing between phototoxicity and photoallergy can be difficult, because some clinical overlap exists between the two disorders. It is often done based on pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and diagnosis. Management is similar for both types of reactions, with the gold standard being prevention. This review provides an overview of the photosensitizing drug reactions and highlights the similarities and differences between phototoxicity and photoallergy, as well as other photosensitizing drug reactions in the phototoxicity family including lichenoid reactions and pseudoporphyria.

Self-Reported Physical Activity and Exercise Patterns in Children With Sickle Cell Disease.

PURPOSE: Sickle cell disease (SCD) significantly affects physical functioning. We examined physical activity (PA) patterns in children with SCD versus a national sample and factors associated with PA and participation in physical education and organized sports. METHOD: One hundred children with SCD completed a 58-item survey with questions from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Physical Activity Questionnaire and others on physical education and sports, disease impact, and physical functioning. RESULTS: Compared with NHANES participants, more children with SCD (67 vs 42%, p < .01) reported doing at least 10 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA)/week. Children with SCD also reported spending more days in MVPA (2.3 vs. 1.4 days/week, p < .01). However, fewer reported spending ³ 60 min/day in either vigorous PA (VPA) (24 vs. 43%, p = .01) or MVPA (17 vs 23%, p < .01). In addition, 90% and 48% of children with SCD participated in physical education and sports, respectively. Greater disease impact on PA and physical functioning were associated with lower participation. CONCLUSION: Children with SCD are active at moderate to vigorous intensity for shorter durations. Negative personal beliefs about disease impact and poor physical functioning represent barriers to PA in SCD.