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Paranoid Ideation Among Elderly African American Persons

^a Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science, Los Angeles, CA
^b Department of Psychiatry, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science, Los Angeles, CA

Correspondence: Mohsen Bazargan, PhD, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, Department of Family Medicine, 1621 East 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059. E-mail: mobazarg{at}cdrewu.edu.

Vernon L. Greene, PhD

Purpose: The prevalence and correlates of paranoid ideation were investigated. Design and Methods: On the basis of a sample of 998 independently living elderly African American persons in a cross-sectional study, the study used the Brief Symptom Inventory to measure paranoid ideation and 14 independent variables, including demographic characteristics, cognitive deficit, depression, self-reported memory functioning, emotional and instrumental support, stressful life events, limitation of daily activities, self-rated health status, and self-rated hearing and vision. Results and Implications: Paranoid ideation (symptoms of paranoia) was found in 10% of this sample. A multiple regression analysis of the data revealed that of the 14 independent variables used in this study, 6 (income, instrumental support, hearing, stressful life events, self-reported memory deficit, and depression) showed a significant relationship with paranoid ideation.

Key Words: Depression • Social support • Memory • Hearing impairment

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