By Medical Express, Photo: Unsplash/CC0Public Domain, February 24, 2025
*Editor's Note: This article is a PDF download.
A new Penn Nursing study published in the Journal of Urban Health reveals that both Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and perceived neighborhood disorder significantly impact the mental health of Black men in Philadelphia following serious traumatic injuries. The Penn Nursing study highlights the critical role of social and environmental factors in post-injury recovery.
"This research underscores the profound and lasting impact of social determinants of health on individual well-being," says lead author Therese Richmond, Ph.D., RN FAAN, the Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing in the Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences. "Our findings demonstrate that addressing both childhood trauma and the realities of living in neighborhoods with high levels of perceived disorder is crucial for improving the mental health and overall recovery of Black men after injury."
The study analyzed data from 414 Black men who sustained acute physical injuries requiring hospitalization. Researchers examined the combined influence of ACEs and neighborhood characteristics, including perceptions of disorder and objective measures of social and economic disadvantage, on post-injury outcomes such as PTSD, depression, sleep quality, and return to work.
[Please click here to read the full article and for more information.]
Comments (0)