Logo image
Back
Identification of and beliefs about depressive symptoms and preferred treatment approaches among community-living older African Americans
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Identification of and beliefs about depressive symptoms and preferred treatment approaches among community-living older African Americans

Laura N Gitlin, Nancy L Chernett, Marie P Dennis and Walter W Hauck
The American journal of geriatric psychiatry, v 20(11), pp 973-984
Nov 2012
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/JGP.0b013e31825463ce
PMID: 22643600
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc4030409View
Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Adaptation, Psychological African Americans - psychology Aged Aged, 80 and over Cross-Sectional Studies Culture Depressive Disorder - epidemiology Depressive Disorder - ethnology Depressive Disorder - psychology Depressive Disorder - therapy Female Health Surveys Humans Independent Living - psychology Male Mental Health Services Middle Aged Patient Acceptance of Health Care United States
To examine older African American's recognition of and beliefs about depressive symptoms, preferred symptom management strategies, and factors associated with willingness to use mental health treatments. Differences between the depressed and nondepressed and men and women were examined. Cross-sectional survey. Home, senior center. A total of 153 senior center members (56 male, 97 female) 55 years and older. Using a depression vignette, participants indicated if the person was depressed and their endorsement of items reflecting beliefs, stigma, symptom management, and willingness to use treatments (yes/no). A 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire assessed current symptomatology. Overall, 24.2% reported depressive symptoms (≥5); 88.2% correctly identified the person in the vignette as depressed. Most (≥75%) endorsed active symptom management strategies, preference for treatment in physician and therapist offices, and willingness to take medications, seek therapy, see doctor, and attend support groups; less than 33% viewed depression as stigmatizing, whereas 48% viewed depression as normal aging. Logistic regressions revealed lower education, higher physical function, and feeling okay if community knew of depression diagnosis were associated with willingness to see physician if feeling depressed; being married and believing antidepressant medications are beneficial were related to willingness to use medications. Different associations emerged for depressed/nondepressed and men and women. Overall, this older African American sample had positive attitudes and beliefs and endorsed traditional treatment modalities suggesting that beliefs alone are unlikely barriers to underutilization of mental health services. Because different factors were associated with willingness to seek physician help and use medications and factors differed for depressed/nondepressed and by sex, interventions should be tailored.

Metrics

7 Record Views
17 citations in Web of Science
19 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Gerontology
Psychiatry
Logo image