High Rates Of Major Depression In Seniors, Ethnic Groups, US

High Rates Of Major Depression In Seniors, Ethnic Groups, US

Major indentation is a serious public health point in dispute among older adults in the United States, otherwise than that tends to affect ethnic groups differently, finds of the present day research led by a Michigan State University pupil.

According to a survey of well-nigh 2,000 people aged 50 and older, whites and blacks of Caribbean descending experience much higher rates of major depression than African-Americans.

Amanda Toler Woodward, prevail on investigator on the study and MSU fellow professor of social work, said the findings, taken as a whole, suggest major depression among older people is worse than numerous company believe and has serious implications being of the kind which the massive baby boomer generation ages.

Elderly race often have other health and intellectual issues that make it difficult to diagnose and pleasure major depression, Woodward said. In adding, there is a dearth of clinicians fitted in geriatric mental health.

"It is plain that major depression is a betokening public health issue among older the public," said Woodward, whose study appears in the scrutiny journal Anxiety and Depression.

The study examined rates of greater depression among three ethnic groups - whites, African-Americans and moor Caribbeans- making it the first broad examination of major depression among older blacks.

Specifically, the researchers plant:

About 24 percent of whites having lived 50 and older experienced major depressive symptoms at minutest once during their lifetime, and 9 percent versed major depression in the previous 12 months.

About 17 percent of older African-Americans able major depression during their lifetime, through 7 percent experiencing major depression in the anterior 12 months.

About 23 percent of older infernal Caribbeans experienced major depression during their lifetime, and 15 percent thoroughbred major depressive symptoms in the prior 12 months.

While the study didn't gauge why black Caribbeans had significantly higher rates of major depression than African-Americans, Woodward reported it may have to do through negative experiences related to immigration in the same state as being separated from family and friends and adapting to U.S. civilization.

The number of black Caribbean immigrants in the United States has doubled in the past decade, to more than 3 the masses.

"This data shows that black Caribbeans and African-Americans are not in the same manner with similar as one may think, and at what time we're thinking about diagnoses and handling we shouldn't lump them in the same place," Woodward said.

Older black men of Caribbean descending reported much higher rates of major depression than older black women of Caribbean fall. The runs counter to the other heathen groups - whites and African-Americans - that saw women report higher rates of greater depression.