Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a currently widespread mental health issue in the US. The prevalence and severity of MDD differs by race. Some evidence suggests that Blacks, or African Americans, often have more severe MDD, relative to whites. Furthermore, only about 45.0% of African Americans and 24.3% of Caribbean blacks who met the criteria for MDD received any form of therapy, according to one study (Williams et al., 2007). There is also evidence that Black women born in the US have a higher chance of developing depression compared to Black women born in Africa or the Caribbean (Miranda et al., 2005). Likewise, it is suggested that Black men experience more depressive symptoms due to adverse life experiences related to economic status, psychosocial coping, and discrimination (Watkins et al., 2006). These findings relate to Transcendent Kingdom, depicted through Gifty’s mother, who develops depression, and doesn’t seek treatment. Many Blacks may develop mental illnesses due to the pressures experienced in daily life, such as grief and loss, but also racism. As Gifty explained, the church treated Blacks and Whites differently. Her mother and Nana were no longer supported after one developed addiction, and the other developed depression. Racism as depicted in the novel may contribute to mental health issues, and the lack of treatment that Blacks don’t receive. Despite these findings, several studies have also found evidence that MDD is both more prevalent and severe for Whites compared to Blacks. One longitudinal study found that Whites, but not Blacks, were more likely to develop chronic medical conditions over time if they had more depressive symptoms at baseline. This is unexpected, as Blacks often experience more stressors including poorer health, inequality, and greater mortality. This reciprocal outcome is referred to as the Black-White paradox (Weinberger et al., 2018). Another study found that between 2009 and 2019, the prevalence of depression in Blacks increased by 55.4%, while in Whites, it increased by 90.4% over the same time period. Hispanics experienced a 119.8% increase in the prevalence of MDD for people aged 12 to 17. The researchers concluded that overall, the prevalence of MDD in adolescents increased by 95.1%, which is almost two-fold over the past ten years (Daly, 2021). Despite the mixed findings by different studies, major depressive disorder remains a current issue in the US. The estimated prevalence of depression continues to increase, affecting people of all ethnic groups. Finally, although research on depression in Ghana is limited, there have been some important findings. One study found that the reported percentage of ties with older persons was a predictor of depression in people interviewed in Ghana and Kenya. The researchers believe that the large number of demands (financial assistance, medical care, etc.) associated with caring for older persons can induce depressive symptoms. When cultural expectations for quality of caregiving cannot be met due to limited resources, further stress can accumulate as well (Shrum et al., 2021). Daily stressors in Ghana seem to be linked to depressive symptoms, but the details of these stressors is not well understood. Not much research has been done in Ghana compared to other countries such as the US. More information is needed before we can tease apart the cultural intricacies of experiencing mental health as a Ghanaian.