"There's No Depression in the Walk": A Qualitative Analysis of How Older Black Women Define and Discuss Depression in the Context of Their Spirituality
Methods: Focus groups were conducted with thirty black women (50+) from three churches in Southeastern Michigan. Transcripts were thematically analyzed using a team-based rigorous data reduction method.
Results: Participants characterized depression as an indicator of spiritual weakness, instability, or being disconnected from God. While participants recognized depression as an illness requiring professional treatment, this was discussed in the context of balancing treatment with spiritual practices such as prayer, reading the bible, and communing with fellow congregants. The expectation that God would guide the process and outcome of formal mental health care was dominant; along with the view that a strong faith orientation should (and has in previous experiences) acted as a buffer against depressive symptoms. Due to their deep commitment to their spiritual relationships and religious practices, several participants chose to forego mental health care. Participants also agreed that physical health problems (e.g. diabetes or hypertension), require immediate attention compared to mental health problems such as depression.
Implications: Implications include the level of church involvement by older, black women and ways in which these women use spirituality to self-manage depression. Individuals attending this presentation will be able to explain how some older Black women conceptualize depression in the context of their spirituality, and discuss potential modifications to increase the acceptability of mental health interventions targeting this population.