Sustained mental health and functional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Black and White Veterans with psychosis or recent homelessness

Derek M. Novacek; Jonathan K. Wynn; Amanda McCleery; Eric A. Reavis; Damla Senturk; Catherine A. Sugar; Jack Tsai; Michael F. Green

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.02.037

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Sustained mental health and functional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Black and White Veterans with psychosis or recent homelessness

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Sustained mental health and functional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Black and White Veterans with psychosis or recent homelessness

Derek M. Novacek, Jonathan K. Wynn, Amanda McCleery, Eric A. Reavis, Damla Senturk, Catherine A. Sugar, Jack Tsai and Michael F. Green

Journal of psychiatric research, Vol.172, pp.102-107

04/2024

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.02.037

PMCID: PMC12967206

PMID: 38373371

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https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12967206/View

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted marginalized populations including Black Americans, people with serious mental illness, and individuals experiencing homelessness. Although the double disadvantage hypothesis would suggest that individuals with multiple minoritized statuses would experience worse psychosocial impacts from the pandemic, this may not be the case for vulnerable Black Veterans. The present study investigated the sustained mental health and functional responses to the pandemic in Black and White Veterans with psychosis or recent homelessness and in a control group of Veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare services. Clinical interviews and questionnaires were administered remotely by telephone at five time points from May 2020 through July 2021, including a retrospective time point for March 2020 (i.e., before the pandemic started). Overall, there was a striking absence of systematic differences by race in the trajectories of psychiatric symptoms and functioning among Veterans during the study period. These findings are consistent with a report on initial responses to the pandemic that revealed only a few select differences by race among Veteran groups. The lack of racial disparities is inconsistent with the double disadvantage hypothesis. Although further investigation is needed, one possible interpretation is that the wrap-around services offered by the Veterans Health Administration may have mitigated expected differences by race among Veterans with psychosis or homelessness. Future research should continue to examine whether VA services mitigate disparities in mental health and psychosocial outcomes.

Mental Health

Psychosis

Veterans

COVID-19

Homelessness

Pandemic

Details

Title: Subtitle: Sustained mental health and functional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Black and White Veterans with psychosis or recent homelessness
Creators: Derek M. Novacek - Neurobehavioral Systems
Jonathan K. Wynn - University of California, Los Angeles
Amanda McCleery - University of Iowa
Eric A. Reavis - University of California, Los Angeles
Damla Senturk - University of California, Los Angeles
Catherine A. Sugar - University of California, Los Angeles
Jack Tsai - United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Michael F. Green - University of California, Los Angeles
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of psychiatric research, Vol.172, pp.102-107
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.02.037
PMID: 38373371
PMCID: PMC12967206
NLM abbreviation: J Psychiatr Res
ISSN: 0022-3956
eISSN: 1879-1379
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100006380, name: VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 02/15/2024
Date published: 04/2024
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984560421302771

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