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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 5/2013

01-05-2013 | Original Paper

Panic disorder among African Americans, Caribbean blacks and non-Hispanic whites

Authors: Debra Siegel Levine, Joseph A. Himle, Robert Joseph Taylor, Jamie M. Abelson, Niki Matusko, Jordana Muroff, James Jackson

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 5/2013

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Abstract

Introduction

This study investigated co-morbidities, level of disability, service utilization and demographic correlates of panic disorder (PD) among African Americans, Caribbean blacks and non-Hispanic white Americans.

Methods

Data are from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) and the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (NCS-R).

Results

Non-Hispanic whites are the most likely to develop PD across the lifespan compared to the black subgroups. Caribbean blacks were found to experience higher levels of functional impairment. There were no gender differences found in prevalence of PD in Caribbean blacks, indicating that existing knowledge about who is at risk for developing PD (generally more prevalent in women) may not be true among this subpopulation. Furthermore, Caribbean blacks with PD were least likely to use mental health services compared to African Americans and non-Hispanic whites.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that PD may affect black ethnic subgroups differently, which has important implications for understanding the nature and etiology of the disorder.
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Metadata
Title
Panic disorder among African Americans, Caribbean blacks and non-Hispanic whites
Authors
Debra Siegel Levine
Joseph A. Himle
Robert Joseph Taylor
Jamie M. Abelson
Niki Matusko
Jordana Muroff
James Jackson
Publication date
01-05-2013
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 5/2013
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0582-x

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