Abstract: Willingness to Use Mental Health Counseling and Antidepressants in Korean American Older Adults: The Role of Beliefs about Depression and Stigma (Society for Social Work and Research 20th Annual Conference - Grand Challenges for Social Work: Setting a Research Agenda for the Future)

Schedule:

Friday, January 15, 2016: 5:15 PM

Meeting Room Level-Meeting Room 6 (Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel)

* noted as presenting author

Nan S. Park, PhD, Assistant Profesor, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Yuri Jang, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

David A. Chiriboga, PhD, Professor, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Background and Purpose:

Research suggests that racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to seek mental health services and yet more likely to suffer from mental health problems (Givens et al., 2007; Jang et al., 2009). Personal beliefs about depression (e.g., perceiving depression as a normal part of aging or as a medical condition) and stigma (e.g., perceiving depression as a personal weakness or as a family shame) may play a significant role in predicting willingness to seek mental health services among older immigrants. The purpose of the study was to examine how the role of beliefs about depression and stigma influence willingness to use mental health counseling and antidepressants.

Methods:

Data were drawn from the surveys with 420 Korean American older adults living in the New York City conducted in 2010. Participants were recruited using multiple sources including religious organizations, senior centers, and elder associations (M_age= 71.6, SD= 7.6). The dependent variables assessed whether participants were willing or not willing to use (1) mental health counseling and (2) antidepressants, if being diagnosed with depression. After examining descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations, separate hierarchical logistic models of willingness to use mental health counseling and antidepressants were estimated by entering background variables (age, gender, marital status, education, length of residence in the U.S.), mental health status (anxiety, depressive symptoms, and self-rated mental health), and personal beliefs about depression (depression as normal part of aging or a medical condition), and stigma (personal weakness and family shame).

Results:

The percentages of the individuals who were willing to use mental health counseling and antidepressants were 69% and 70%, respectively. With respect to beliefs about depression, more than half (55%) thought becoming depressed is a normal part of aging, but in responses to a separate question, the majority (77%) perceived depression as a medical condition. Regarding stigma, about 68% perceived depression as a sign of personal weakness, and more than a quarter (26%) reported that having a mentally ill family member brings shame to the whole family. In a series of logistic analyses, willingness to use mental health counseling was predicted positively by the belief that depression is a medical condition (OR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.09−3.17) and negatively by family shame (OR=.58, 95% CI: .35−.97). Similarly, willingness to use antidepressants were predicted by the belief on medical model of depression (OR=4.16, 95% CI: 2.64−8.05) and by family shame (OR=.58, 95% CI: .34−.99). Interestingly, more educated people were less willing to use antidepressants (OR=.53, 95% CI: .29−.95).

Conclusions and Implications:

The results of the study confirmed that personal beliefs about depression and stigma predicted individuals’ willingness to use mental health services. In particular, beliefs about depression as a medical condition and as a family shame affected both willingness to use mental health counseling and antidepressants. In addressing mental health problems and promoting the use of mental health services, cultural beliefs and stigma shared within the ethnic enclave need to be considered.