Association of distress due to systemic racism and racial disparities with psychopathology and suicidal ideation among us veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic

Jegede, Oluwole, Na, Peter J., Haeny, Angela M., Krystal, John H. and Pietrzak, Robert H. (2022) Association of distress due to systemic racism and racial disparities with psychopathology and suicidal ideation among us veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 83 (5). ISSN 0160-6689

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Abstract

Successive waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection have disproportionately clustered in minority communities, creating a syndemic of inequities.1 The impact of the pandemic is further exacerbated by poor access to health care and unequal distribution of vaccines2 within the historical and ongoing context of systemic racism, highlighted by the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and other structural inequities.

While numerous studies have reported an increase in the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms during the pandemic,3,4 no known study has examined the prevalence and mental health impact of distress emanating from the intersection of systemic racism and the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we analyzed data from a national sample of US veterans to examine (1) the prevalence of perceived systemic racism and racial disparities in COVID-19–related health outcomes and (2) association of racism-related distress with internalizing (ie, positive screen for major depressive, posttraumatic stress, and/or generalized anxiety disorders) and externalizing (ie, positive screen for alcohol and/or drug use disorders) psychopathology and suicidal ideation (SI) during the pandemic.

Item Type: Article
Identifier: 10.4088/JCP.22br14410
Keywords: COVID-19; Health care access; Vaccine distribution; Systemic racism; Structural inequities; Psychiatric symptoms; Mental health impact; Health outcomes ; Suicidal ideation; US veterans; Racism-related distress
Subjects: Medicine and health
Depositing User: Oluwole Jegede
Date Deposited: 09 Jul 2025 13:07
Last Modified: 09 Jul 2025 13:07
URI: https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/13832

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