By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – Three years after the pandemic started, a University of Illinois researcher says anxiety and depression showed up more in Black and Latina women. These non-whites have many things going against them.
“They were overrepresented, and continue to be overrepresented, in chronic health conditions, often due to high levels of stress and poor access to quality health care,” said Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo, an associate professor of kinesiology and community health.
“In the context of the pandemic, they were overrepresented in terms of essential workers, so they were highly vulnerable, because they were still required to work.”
And many of those jobs do not offer paid sick leave, another factor which creates anxiety.
Lara-Cinisomo’s study showed nearly one-third of the people questioned said they experienced mental health symptoms. That’s more than she expected.
Lara-Cinisomo also says racism and discrimination are still “pervasive” in America.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]
