Abstract
African American centenarians comprise 12% of all centenarians, similar to their ethnic/racial representation in the United States adult population. The importance of biological and psychosocial factors in sha** African Americans’ life trajectories, health outcomes, and resilience strategies has received little attention in the psychiatric literature. Biological factors affecting African American centenarians include the Black-White cross-over mortality paradox, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and their higher rate of Alzheimer’s disease compared to White older adults. Sociologic factors include the fact that throughout their lifetimes African Americans compared to Whites have poorer access to medical care and experience higher rates of chronic illnesses, a process described by the “cumulative inequity theory.” From a psychological standpoint, African Americans compared to White older adults have lower or similar rates of mental disorders, lower suicide rates but, higher rates of Alzheimer’s Disease. African American centenarians have demonstrated tremendous resilience for centuries, relying on family, friends, community, religious resources, and adaptive psychological strategies to maintain a life purpose. Future research with African American centenarians may help advocate for increased community, state, and federal support for this population’s health and emotional well-being.
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Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
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1.
Which of the following groups of seniors (aged 65–74) have the lowest suicide rates?
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A.
Non Hispanic Whites
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B.
Non Hispanic Blacks
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C.
Non Hispanic Asians
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D.
Hispanics
CORRECT ANSWER: B
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A.
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2.
When does the Black White Mortality Cross-Over Effect occur?
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A.
In late life, after age 85
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B.
In middle age
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C.
In young adulthood
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D.
In infancy
CORRECT ANSWER: A
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A.
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3.
Which of the following are reported to contribute to resiliency among African American centenarians?
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A.
Support and cultural connectedness
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B.
Religion and spirituality
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C.
Self-reliance
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D.
All of the above
CORRECT ANSWER: D
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A.
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Hargrave, R., Nesbeth, K. (2023). African American Centenarians. In: Kheirbek, R.E., Llorente, M.D. (eds) Current Perspectives on Centenarians. International Perspectives on Aging, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30915-1_8
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