Shervin Assari

[ 1 ] - Interaction Between Race and Gender and Effect on Implicit Racial Bias Against Blacks

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[ 2 ] - Synergistic Effects of Depression and Poor Impulse Control on Physical Partner Violence; A National Longitudinal Study in United States

Background: Although major depressive disorder (MDD) also increases the risk of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) perpetration, poor mental health has been mostly conceptualized as a consequence of IPV victimization rather than a risk factor for IPV perpetration. Poor impulse control is another IPV risk factor. Building on a risk / risk framework, this study investigates additive and multiplicati...

[ 3 ] - Demographic and Socioeconomic Determinants of Physical and Mental Self-rated Health Across 10 Ethnic Groups in the United States

Background and aims: The aim of this study was to explore ethnic differences in demographic and socioeconomic determinants of poor physical and mental self-rated health (SRH) in the United States. Methods: We used data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) 2001- 2003, which included a national household probability sample of 18237 individuals including 520 Vietnamese, 5...

[ 4 ] - Bidirectional associations between chronic medical conditions, disability, and depressive symptoms over 25 years: Black- White differences

Background and aims: Blacks have a higher rate of chronic medical conditions (CMC), disability, and depressive symptoms compared to Whites. The present study compared Blacks and Whites for bidirectional associations between CMC, disability, and depressive symptoms over a 25-year period. Methods: Data came from all five waves (1986, 1989, 1994, 2001, and 2...

[ 5 ] - Unequal Gain of Equal Resources across Racial Groups

The health effects of economic resources (eg, education, employment, and living place) and psychological assets (eg, self-efficacy, perceived control over life, anger control, and emotions) are well-known. This article summarizes the results of a growing body of evidence documenting Blacks’ diminished return, defined as a systematically smaller health gain from economic resources and psychologi...

[ 6 ] - The Effect of Drug Abstinence Program on Memory Functioning of Heroin Addicts

Introduction: Most of our knowledge regarding the link between opioid dependence and poor cognitive functioning is derived from cross sectional studies.This longitudinal study measured the change in memory functioning following complete abstinence among individuals with heroin dependence. Methods: Using a before-after design,this study followed 30 adults ...

[ 7 ] - Contextual Effects of Ethnicity, Gender, and Place on Depression; Case Study of War Related Stress for Kurdish Women

Contextual factors such as ethnicity, gender, place, and their intersections determine the social condition that populations and individuals live in. As a result, environmental stressors that shape exposures, and also resilience and vulnerabilities are specific to the population. This emphasizes the role of the intersection of such contextual factors in studying psychosocial causes of depressio...

[ 8 ] - Low Dose Celecoxib Combined with Clozapine for Treatment of Schizophrenia: A Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in schizophrenia have suggested that dysfunctions of the immune system may play a role in this disabling condition. The current study was performed to discover if low dose celecoxib combined with clozapine may improve symptoms of schizophrenia or not. Methods:<span...

[ 9 ] - Substance use Among Street Children in Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Children, who work or live at streets, are one of the HIV high risk groups in Iran, with no comprehensive preventive programs. This study intended to assess substance use among street children in Tehran, Capital of Iran. Methods: This paper is a part of comprehensive rapid assessment and response (RAR) research on street children in Tehran i...

[ 10 ] - Anxiety, Depression, and Spirituality Among Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer Disease

Introduction: The nature of the Alzheimer’s disease gradually makes patients dependent to persistent care. This may have a large negative effect on the caregivers’ quality of life and predisposes them to psychological distress. Spirituality, however, may act as a buffer and enhance their adaptability with stressful conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the association betwee...

[ 11 ] - Chronic Kidney Disease, Anxiety and Depression among American Blacks; Does Ethnicity Matter?

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is known to be associated with deterioration of mental health. However, it is clear that this link is over and beyond the effects of socio-economic factors and other medical conditions. This study had two aims: 1) to compare the association between CKD and general anxiety disorder (GAD) among the two major ethnic groups of American Bla...

[ 12 ] - Association between Heart Disease and Subjective Health in Ten North, Middle, and South American Countries

Introduction: This study was conducted to compare 10 American countries for the association between self-reported physician diagnosis of heart disease and subjective health above and beyond the effect of socio-economic factors. Methods: With a cross-sectional design, this study used data from Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE). T...

[ 13 ] - Race and Ethnic Differences in the Associations between Cardiovascular Diseases, Anxiety, and Depression in the United States

Introduction: Although cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric disorders are linked, it is not yet known if such links are independent of comorbid medical diseases and if these associations depend on race and ethnicity. This study aimed to determine if the associations between cardiovascular diseases with general anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive episode (MDE) are ind...

[ 14 ] - Inpatient Mortality Following Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in a Tertiary Hospital in Tehran

This study was conducted to monitor the rate of inpatient mortality and its associated factors following open reconstruction of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in a tertiary hospital in Tehran, Iran. This retrospective study was a chart review of 112 patients undergoing open infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery in one of the main tertiary hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Baseline data (d...

[ 15 ] - Race, Education Attainment, and Happiness in the United States

Background and aims: As suggests by the Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDR) theory, educationattainment and other socioeconomic status (SES) indicators have a smaller impact on the health andwell-being of non-White than White Americans. To test whether MDR also applies to happiness, in thepresent study, Blacks and Whites were compared in terms of the effect of education attai...

[ 16 ] - Marital Status and Physical Health: Racial Differences

Background and aims: As suggested by the Minorities’ Diminished Return Theory, the associationbetween socioeconomic status and health is weaker for racial and ethnic minorities compared toWhites. The current study compared Blacks and Whites in terms of the association between maritalstatus and physical health.Methods: The State of the State Survey (SOSS) included 881 adu...

[ 17 ] - Minorities’ Diminished Returns of Educational Attainment on Hospitalization Risk: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

Background: As suggested by the Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, educational attainment shows a weaker protective effect for racial and ethnic minority groups compared to non-Hispanic Whites. This pattern, however, is never shown for hospitalization risk. Objectives: This cross-sectional study explored racial and ethnic variations in the asso...

[ 18 ] - Social Determinants of Polypharmacy in First Generation Mexican Immigrants in the United States

Introduction: Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators are among the main social determinants of health and illness. Less, however, is known about the role of SES in the epidemiology of polypharmacy in immigrant Latino Americans living in the United States. This research studied the association between three SES indicators, education, income, and employment, and polypharmacy in ol...

[ 19 ] - Protective Effects of Educational Attainment Against Cigarette Smoking; Diminished Returns of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the National Health Interview Survey

Introduction: Although educational attainment is protective against health risk behaviors such as smoking, the Minorities’ Diminished Return theory posits that these protective effects are smaller for ethnic minorities than majority groups. This study compared the effects of educational attainment on the smoking status of American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) and White ...

[ 20 ] - Second-Hand Smoke Exposure at Home in the United States; Minorities’ Diminished Returns

Introduction: Educational attainment and poverty status are two strong socioeconomic status (SES) indicators that protect individuals against exposure to second-hand smoke. Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs), however, refer to smaller protective effects of SES indicators among ethnic minority groups such as Hispanics and Blacks, compared to non-Hispanic Whites. This...

[ 21 ] - Educational Attainment Better Increases the Chance of Breast Physical Exam for Non-Hispanic Than Hispanic American Women: National Health Interview Survey

Background: The Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory suggests that the health effect of educational attainment is considerably smaller for members of racial and ethnic minority groups than for Whites. Objective: The current study explored the racial and ethnic differences in the association between educational attainment and Breast Physical Exam (...

[ 22 ] - Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns

Introduction: Although income is among the major social determinants of mental health of middle-aged and older individuals, socially marginalized groups gain less health from their income and other socioeconomic status (SES) resources compared to socially privileged groups. This pattern is called marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs). Most of the existing knowledge ...

[ 23 ] - Combined Effects of Race and Educational Attainment on Physician Visits Over 24 Years in a National Sample of Middle-Aged and Older Americans

Background: The literature on Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) have shown worse than expected health of the members of racial and ethnic minority groups particularly Blacks. Theoretically, this effect can be in part due to weaker effects of educational attainment on preventive care and disease management in highly educated racial and ethnic minorities. Object...

[ 24 ] - Socioeconomic Status and Current Cigarette Smoking Status: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns

Introduction: Although socioeconomic status (SES) resources influence population and individual health behaviors, socially marginalized groups gain significantly less health from their SES indicators, such as education and income, compared to the socially privileged groups. This pattern is called marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs). However, most of the MDRs liter...

[ 25 ] - Prostate Cancer Screening in Middle-Aged and Older American Men: Combined Effects of Ethnicity and Years of Schooling

Background: Prostate cancer screening is more commonly utilized by highly educated people. As shown by marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs), the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) such as education on the health outcomes are considerably smaller for ethnic minorities than for Whites. The role of MDRs as a source of ethnic health disparities is, however, still un...

[ 26 ] - Education Level and Self-rated Health in the United States: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns

Introduction: Although education is among the major socioeconomic status (SES) resources that influence populations’ and individuals’ health, social marginalization may reduce the health gain that follows access to SES indicators such as education, a pattern called marginalization-related diminished return (MDR). The literature on MDRs, however, has been mainly derived from stu...