Citation

Akinyemi E, Watkins DC, Kavanagh J, Johnson-Lawrence V, Lynn S, Kales HC. Aging Ment. Health 2018; 22(9): 1149-1155.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13607863.2017.1337717

PMID

28612654

PMCID

PMC10330957

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Depression in late life is associated with substantial suffering, disability, suicide risk, and decreased health-related quality of life. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), a depression diagnosis is derived from a constellation of symptoms that may be described differently by different people. For example, the DSM language may be inadequate in capturing these symptoms in certain populations such as African-Americans, whose rates of depression misdiagnosis is high.
METHODS: This study reports the findings from a church-based, qualitative study with older African-Americans (n = 50) regarding the language they use when discussing depression and depression treatment, and how this compares to the DSM-IV depression criteria. Content analyses of the in-depth discussions with African-American male and female focus group participants resulted in a deeper understanding of the language they used to describe depression. This language was then mapped onto the DSM-IV depression criteria.
RESULTS: While some words used by the focus group participants mapped well onto the DSM-IV criteria, some of the language did not map well, such as language describing irritability, negative thought processes, hopelessness, loneliness, loss of control, helplessness, and social isolation.
CONCLUSIONS: The focus group setting provided insight to the language used by older, church-going African-Americans to describe depression. Implications include the advantages of using qualitative data to help inform clinical encounters with older African-Americans.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Terminology as Topic; Aged; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Qualitative Research; Depression; Aged, 80 and over; Religion and Psychology; older adults; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; spirituality; Language; Depressive Disorder; DSM; Black or African American; African-Americans