title: Race and ethnicity differences in reporting of depressive symptoms.
abstract: Our study explored race and ethnicity differences in reporting of symptoms to physicians and other practitioners among respondents to the 1999 National Health Interview Survey who screened positive for depression. Respondents were asked if they had told a doctor or another practitioner (nurse, social worker, psychologist, clergy, other) about their problems. Whites and Hispanics were significantly more likely to communicate with a physician or other practitioner than were African Americans, even with personal characteristics held constant. Practitioners should actively elicit descriptions of feelings and mood, especially with African Americans, and be prepared to treat or refer patients appropriately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 800 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. jprobst@gwm.sc.edu
authors.forename: Janice C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: Sarah B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Laditka
authors.forename: Charity G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Nusrat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harun
authors.forename: M Paige
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012650:Self Disclosure; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*