Demographic and health-related correlates of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among African Americans

•We studied a nationally-representative sample of African Americans.•Many reported OCD-related obsessions (15.3%) and compulsions (12.5%).•Material hardship was associated with nearly all symptoms.•Fewer years of education was related to greater compulsions.•Implications for African Americans are discussed.

This study examined the correlates of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among a nationally-representative sample of African American adults (n = 3570). Demographic and several self-rated health variables were examined. Although only 1.6% of the sample met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for OCD, a sizeable proportion of the sample reported compulsions (12.5%) and obsessions (15.3%). Material hardship was positively associated with nearly all measured symptoms of OCD and fewer years of educational attainment was related to greater compulsive symptoms. Self-rated mental health was related to both compulsions and obsessions, and self-rated physical health was associated with counting and repeating compulsions. Implications and areas for further research with African Americans are discussed, including improving access to care for those most in need of services.