Depression and help-seeking in a western sample of 'highly acculturated' Chinese and controls.
BACKGROUND
It is commonly reported that "the Chinese" have low rates of depression, partially reflecting a greater tendency to somatize and to be less likely to seek help.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of acculturation on depression reporting and help-seeking patterns.


METHODS
We compared 50 highly acculturated Chinese with age and gender-matched non-Chinese control subjects in a western region on measures of state and lifetime depression, attributional interpretation of somatic cues and help-seeking.


RESULTS
The highly acculturated Chinese did not differ in state depression rates or tendency to 'somatize'. There were trends for the Chinese to be less likely to view any depressive episode as a 'disorder' and to seek help for a psychological problem.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences held to exist in the Chinese in acknowledging, reporting and seeking help for depression appear strongly culturally determined.
Parker
Gordon
G
School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, and Black Dog Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick 2031, Sydney, Australia. g.parker@unsw.edu.au
Chan
Bibiana
B
Tully
Lucy
L
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D009517:New South Wales; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires