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Objectives Drawing on life-course perspective and cumulative advantage theory, we examined whether service related exposures (SREs)—combat and exposure to death—have lasting impacts on depressive symptom and psychiatric problem trajectories of aging veterans. Methods The Health and Retirement Study and linked 2013 Veterans Mail Survey were used to examine SREs and mental health among older veterans between 2002 and 2012 (N = 1,662). Latent growth curves were used to measure how individuals vary from average mental health trajectories based on SREs and other important covariates. Results Exposure to death had a significant and lasting effect on depressive symptoms for veterans in late life but was reduced to nonsignificance when physical health trajectories were included. Combat and exposure to death had independent and robust impacts on psychiatric problems, which were robust in final models. Discussion SREs presented varied and significant impacts, suggesting that combat does not work alone in driving poor mental health trajectories, and that exposure to death is a more robust risk marker for later outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the health-relevant resources that marriage is argued to provide vary by socioeconomic status (SES), little research has examined whether the association of marriage with psychological well-being varies by SES. Focusing on depressive symptoms as an outcome and using a two-stage Heckit procedure with multilevel modeling, results from analyses of four waves of data (n = 4340 person-waves) from the American Changing Lives Survey (ACL) shows that differences in depressive symptoms between never-married and married adults varies by adjusted household income. Depressive symptoms are highest among the never married, and differences from the married greatest, at the lowest levels of income. As income increases these differences are eliminated. The conditioning effect of income is partially mediated by financial security, self-efficacy, and social support from friends and relatives. The implications of these findings for U.S. marriage promotion policies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study employs the stress process model (SPM) to identify risk/protective factors for mental health among adult African American men. Method: Using a community-based sample of Miami, FL residents linked to neighborhood Census data, this study identifies risk/protective factors for depressive symptomatology using a sample of 248 adult African American men. Results: The stress process variables independently associated with depressive symptoms were family support, mastery, self-esteem, chronic stressors, and daily discrimination. While mastery and self-esteem mediated the relationship between neighborhood income and depressive symptoms, perceived family support served as a buffer for stress exposure. Collectively, the SPM explains nearly half of the variability in depressive symptoms among African American men. Discussion: The SPM is a useful conceptual framework for identifying psychosocial risk/protective factors and directing health initiatives and policies aimed at improving the psychological health of African American men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that examined whether changes in employment-based insurance were related to physical and mental health after shifting to retirement before becoming age-eligible for Medicare coverage. Topics include the use of data from the Health and Retirement Study and two-stage mixed effects regression models, linkages between employment-based insurance and subsequent health, and the temporary Early Retiree Reinsurance Program.